Camas mill will test warning siren on June 7

The Georgia-Pacific Camas mill will run a test of its community warning system on Tuesday, June 7 at 8 a.m.

Camas mill spokeswoman Nancy Viuhkola said Friday the test will include an wailing alarm siren lasting several seconds, followed by a verbal message indicating that the sound was a test.

Each day, citizens can hear mill’s warning system “test tone,” the Westminster chime, but the June 7 test takes that a step further.

“We test our community alarm system daily through its association with the town noon chime system,” Viuhkola said. “It has been some time since we’ve tested the actual community siren and voice over speaker messaging components.”

The $1 million warning system was completed in 2003. The two electronic wailing sirens — one at each end of the mill’s Northeast Adams Street property — can broadcast a warning that can be heard within one square mile of the facility.

The system is used to alert the community in the event of emergency situations such as an earthquake, severe weather, and hazardous spills or chemical releases.

In preparation for the test, Viuhkola said the mill will distribute flyers to local businesses, and communicate with organizations including Clark Regional Emergency System Agency and local emergency services.

In the event of a real emergency, the siren tone would be heard, possibly followed by a oral messages such as “train derailment,” or “possible hazards — stay inside.” Citizens would then tune into local news outlets for additional information. Once the emergency is over, an “all-clear tone” would be activated.

Additional information about the community warning system can be found at www.gp.com/camas/communitywarning.