Emergency test on Saturday

LEABURG: A test of the emergency alert system in the McKenzie Fire & Rescue service area is scheduled for noon on Saturday, November 20th.

Residents in the McKenzie River Valley may receive a test alert on their mobile phones, landlines or via email. The messages will include “TEST ALERT” to reduce any potential confusion. Residents should not call 9-1-1 in response to the test alert.

“People are more aware than ever before of the need to be prepared for an emergency or disaster,” said McKenzie Fire & Rescue Chief Darren Bucich. “We want to help our residents be prepared by testing the emergency alert system so that people can get a feel for how they might receive a real evacuation notice or other safety information in the future.”

Emergency responders use several tools to alert residents. Some tools don’t require people to sign up, including Wireless Emergency Alerts or Reverse 9-1-1; however, officials say everyone in Lane County is encouraged to sign up to receive AlertSense emergency alerts at public.alertsense.com/SignUp/.

“If possible, we should all identify at least two ways we can receive emergency alerts,” said Bucich. “In rural areas like this it’s especially important since we don’t always have the same easy access to cell service or Internet – and, even if you have good coverage on a blue-sky day, we know that those can fail if infrastructure is destroyed.”

McKenzie residents can also stop by the Leaburg Fire Station on Saturday, November 20th, between noon and 1:30 p.m. to learn more about preparing for emergencies and emergency alerts.

McKenzie Fire & Rescue, Lane County Emergency Management and Central Lane 9-1-1 are working together to conduct the test.

This test will not include the Emergency Alert System (television and radio messages) because those are aired countywide and likely to cause unnecessary confusion for residents outside of the test area.