Flood warning sirens test

KILLARNEY and Leyburn residents are being advised not to be alarmed when they hear flood warning sirens being tested tomorrow and Saturday.
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) will conduct testing and final commissioning of its flood emergency warning systems on both days between 9am and 11am at Killarney and 1pm and 3pm at Leyburn.
The siren system, one located at Killarney Fire Station on Ivy Street and the other located at the Leyburn police station on the Leyburn Forestry Road, is a fixed siren used to alert the community of an impending flood that may directly affect the community.
The sirens are audible for between 915 metres and 1280 metres, depending on weather conditions.
“We want to emphasise to everyone in the Killarney and Leyburn areas that the activation of the test message does not imply that the township is under immediate threat of flash flooding,” SDRC disaster management co-ordinator Mark Saunders said.
“However, we also want local people to know that any activation outside the stated times indicates that the township is at risk of flash flooding.
“The message in an emergency is: ‘Attention attention, this is a flood warning announcement. Go to higher ground now. Avoid low lying areas. I repeat, this is a flood warning, go to higher ground now’.”