By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE - The city will hold its regularly scheduled test of the Emergency Alert System to assess the system's effectiveness.
In compliance with the city's quarterly testing cycle, the next test of the system will be held at noon Wednesday, March 8.
Residents will hear a variety of sirens or horns followed by a short verbal message emanating from three locations:
The alert will last just a few minutes with a pre-recorded message approved by the Federal Communication Commission.
The emergency alert system is designed to be a far-reaching way to alert residents in the event of impending danger from storms, flooding or other public safety crisis.
The city received a $41,000 grant to fund the cost of installation of three poles with loudspeakers on top. The system was installed and tested for the first time in August 2021.
In addition to warning the public about pending emergencies, the warning system is a resiliency measure is in compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System Warning and Response section. Participation in the CRS program provides residents with discounts on the cost of flood insurance.
The system is scheduled to be tested again on June 14, Sept. 13 and Dec. 13.
Residents in close proximity to the speakers may find the announcements to be loud, but the benefits of the early warning system outweigh the occasional inconvenience, officials said.
