New evacuation sirens rolled out in Butte County after Camp Fire and Oroville spillway crises
In light of two emergencies in as many years prompting mass evacuations in Butte County, the sheriff recently announced all deputies’ cruisers have been equipped with a special siren system dedicated specifically to evacuation.
The county issued evacuation orders for more than 180,000 people during the February 2017 Oroville Dam spillway crisis, and tens of thousands last November when the devastating Camp Fire raged through Paradise, Magalia, Concow and other areas.
Over the last two months, every marked sheriff’s vehicle in Butte County was outfitted with the new siren system, announced by the Sheriff’s Office in a news release this week. Deputies will be able to drive through neighborhoods to alert all residents of evacuation orders rather than going door-to-door, saving precious time.
The siren emits a “high-low” sound, which Sheriff Kony Honea described as “European-style” in a video demonstration posted by the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. It’s distinct and easy to distinguish from the standard siren tone used for emergencies.
“We’ve been working to try and increase our ability to notify as many people as possible of a pending emergency, and the high-low evacuation sirens are another tool in our arsenal to be able to do that,” Honea said in a news release.
This story was originally published July 24, 2019 at 9:09 AM with the headline "New evacuation sirens rolled out in Butte County after Camp Fire and Oroville spillway crises."
