NORTH COAST, Calif. – As part of Tsunami Preparedness Week later this month, Mendocino County officials are planning a tsunami preparedness warning test.

On Tuesday March 12, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors proclaimed the week of March 24-30 as Tsunami Preparedness Week.

The Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services, in cooperation with the counties of Humboldt and Del Norte, the National Weather Service, and the California Emergency Management Agency, has scheduled a tsunami warning system test from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, March 27.

For those watching television between 11 a.m. and noon that day, expect to see a crawler at the bottom of the screen indicating that a tsunami warning has been issued and hear a voice indicating that it is only a test, officials reported. If you don’t hear the TV audio, please remember that this is only a test.  

If you are listening to the radio you will hear alerting tones followed by a voice announcing that the test is occurring. If you have a NOAA weather radio with the public alert feature the radio will automatically turn on and you will hear the same message as broadcast on radios.

Those who live in or near the cities of Fort Bragg or Point Arena may hear the sounding of tsunami sirens which, when activated, will “wail” for approximately three minutes, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported.

There are two sirens located in the Noyo Harbor area and one located in the Pudding Creek area of Fort Bragg. There is one siren located in Arena Cove in the City of Point Arena, officials said.

As part of the tsunami warning system, the Civil Air Patrol, weather permitting, will be flying along the coastlines of Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties testing their public address system, the sheriff’s office reported.

The Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services also will test its emergency notification system (Reverse 911) with a public service announcement in the Fort Bragg and Point Arena areas.

If there is a real earthquake in the Pacific Ocean that has the potential to generate tsunami for the coastline the test will be canceled.

For more information on how to survive an earthquake or prepare for a tsunami visit www.humboldt.edu/shakyground/ .

The public is asked to help the agency evaluate the test by following the links at www.weather.gov/eureka or by calling 707-443-6484.

For questions please contact the Office of Emergency Services at 707-463-5667 or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .