66:. It has previously buried sections of the surrounding river valleys in a volcanic mudflow, called a lahar. The Puyallup River Valley is at greatest risk. Tens of thousands of people live in areas that may have as little as 40 minutes to as much as three hours to move to safety once a large lahar is detected, so the system is robust, warnings are disseminated promptly and widely, and people in harm's way are taught how to respond to the warnings and take protective actions.
132:” tone for eight seconds followed by a voice announcement to ensure the sirens are working. Every October on the first Monday at Noon, the emergency warbling “wail” tone is tested for approximately five minutes. During a real volcanic event or other disaster, the sirens will continuously “wail” in 5 minute increments to warn residents and tourists to evacuate. They will continue to wail until the batteries die or the sirens themselves are destroyed by the lahar.
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sirens are strategically placed through the valley. When imminent volcanic danger threatens, the sirens will be activated, utilizing the emergency “wailing” tone. Citizens will be advised to evacuate the valley floor and head to higher ground by vehicle or foot. The outdoor lahar warning sirens are
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An automated system detects lahar flows by using a network of small sensors called acoustic flow monitors (AFMs) embedded underground to measure ground vibrations made by passing lahars. Computer base stations located in the
Washington State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continuously analyze
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signals from the field stations. Upon detection of a lahar, the computer alerts local 24–hour emergency monitoring and notification centers, who initiate the warning component of the system. Warning messages would trigger immediate, preplanned emergency-response actions.
43:. Pierce County works in partnership with the USGS, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN), Washington Military Department's Emergency Management Division, and South Sound 9-1-1 to monitor and operate the system.
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Geologists consider Mount
Rainier the most dangerous mountain in the United States, and the USGS has estimated there is a one-in-seven chance of a catastrophic lahar at Mount Rainier occurring in the next 75 years.
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Pierce County
Emergency Management and the USGS have made plans to upgrade the AFM detection technology, expand the siren component, and are now working on a multiyear project to enhance the system.
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Once initiated, television and radio stations, such as NOAA Weather Radio, would broadcast alerts. Forty-two sirens scattered in cities from Orting to the Port of Tacoma would activate.
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consists of two separate components, operating in tandem: Acoustic Flow
Monitors (AFM) and the All Hazard Alert Broadcast (AHAB) sirens. The AFM system was developed by the
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145:'s Emergency Management Division and South Sound 9-1-1 house the AFM detection system and are responsible for initiating notification of a lahar.
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is to warn the residents in the
Puyallup River Valley of the need to evacuate due to a volcanic disaster from the Mount Rainier Volcano. Over 40
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155:, a free service that allows fire, police and other agencies dealing with emergency response to send out accurate and up-to-date information.
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The Mount
Rainier Lahar Siren project is part of an overall emergency communications system for Pierce County. The focus for the
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Emergency
Management. The purpose of the warning system is to assist in the evacuation of residents in the river valleys around
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175:, titled "American Volcano", was about the impacts of a catastrophic lahar resulting from the eruption of Mount Rainier.
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tested at noon on the first Monday of months
January-September, November-December, using the “
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Mount
Rainier as seen from the High Cedars Golf Course in Orting, bordering the Carbon River
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discusses what would happen if Mount
Rainier erupted and caused a lahar.
278:"Mount Rainier to get new digital-warning system for massive mudflows"
248:"5 Natural Disasters Headed for the United States - Popular Mechanics"
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Mount Rainier lahar sirens test, will sound different from now on.
329:"Mount Rainier lahar sirens test will sound different from now on"
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353:"Alert & Warning | Pierce County, WA - Official Website"
151:Residents can sign up for alert notifications via
304:"USGS: Volcano Hazards Program CVO Mount Rainier"
245:5 Natural Disasters Headed for the United States
207:"USGS: Volcano Hazards Program CVO Mount Rainier"
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406:Disaster preparedness in the United States
21:Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System
411:Emergency management in the United States
117:All Hazard Alert Broadcast (AHAB) Sirens:
27:(USGS) in 1998 and is now maintained by
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16:Volcanic evacuation warning system
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421:Volcanism of Washington (state)
25:United States Geological Survey
143:Washington Military Department
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110:Acoustic Flow Monitors (AFM):
229:Rainier: Danger at our door
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302:Program, Volcano Hazards.
205:Program, Volcano Hazards.
380:"Outdoor Warning System"
181:It Could Happen Tomorrow
125:Federal Signal Modulator
62:is an active volcano in
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165:An episode in the 2006
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160:Cultural references
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308:volcanoes.usgs.gov
211:volcanoes.usgs.gov
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265:Popular Mechanics
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400:Categories
385:2020-12-02
362:2018-05-24
338:2020-11-21
313:2018-05-24
288:2018-05-24
258:2009-03-09
216:2018-05-24
189:References
85:Components
64:Washington
55:Hazard map
37:Washington
99:eruption
169:series
47:History
121:sirens
103:lahar
41:lahar
141:The
19:The
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