Margate installed an early warning alarm system at three locations in the city. The system will be tested Wednesday, March 9 at noon.
MARGATE - Residents should not be alarmed when the city tests its emergency notification system at noon Wednesday, March 9.
The Office of Emergency Management is required to test the emergency notification system put into place at three broadcast stations in the city last summer at least four times a year.
We don't want to overdo it, but the minimum number of tests we can do is four a year, Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck LaBarre said. "We don't want to scare people, so we don't do it in summer when we have a lot of visitors, and we only do it at noon in the middle of the week."
The emergency notification speakers are located on three poles that were erected last year at Fire Station No. 1 at Washington and Ventnor avenues, Fire Station No. 2 at 405 N. Brunswick Ave., and at the indoor batting practice site at the ball fields on Jerome Avenue.
The three-minute alert includes several short sound tones and a voice narrative stating it is strictly a test and no action is required by residents. Testing of the system is required by the Federal Communication Commission.
LaBarre said the city posted a flyer on social media outlets to let residents know about the test so they won't become alarmed when they hear it.
The system, which was funded through a $41,000 grant, is designed to be a far-reaching way to alert residents in the event of extreme weather events, flooding or other public safety crises
Installation of the system increased Margate's score for the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides residents with discounts on the cost of flood insurance. Margate's current flood rating is Class 5, which provides a 25% discount on premiums.
Residents who live in close proximity to the speakers may find them to be loud, but the benefits of having an early warning system outweighs the inconvenience, officials said.
Additional testing of the system will be held at noon on Wednesdays, June 8, Sept. 14 and Nov. 9, LaBarre said.
