Placer County deputies to use new siren during wildfire evacuations

By Emily Maher| KCRA-TV Sacramento

Updated: 11:25 PM PST Nov 7, 2019

Watch Video HERE: https://www.kcra.com/article/placer-county-deputies-to-use-new-siren-during-wildfire-evacuations/29732598

The Placer County Sheriff's Office is hoping a new siren will save lives during a wildfire.

"Every year, we see the worst and we think nothing can top it and then the next year, something tops it," Lt. Andrew Scott said.

California is experiencing more destructive wildfires closer to urban areas than ever before.

"There were areas in the past that we thought were pretty fire safe," Scott said. "We're realizing now they have a very high fire danger from a massive wildfire."

When a wildfire gets close to a Placer County community, it's up to deputies to evacuate neighbors.

Now, they've got a new tool to help: the hi-low siren.

"If there's a siren, that means get out, evacuate now, get out immediately," Scott said.

After seeing other agencies using the distinct-sounding siren, the sheriff's office decided to reprogram its units.

The cost is minimal. They already have the equipment.

"This is the siren speaker that is put in the sheriff's vehicles," Scott said, pointing to the front of an SUV. "This is already in all of the vehicles, as well as the control head that's inside the car."

Scott said reprogramming the sirens was the easy part. The challenge is teaching the public what the sound means.

"The most important thing for the public to know is what the hi-low siren means," Scott said. "Take it seriously and get out when we tell you to."

Deputies will keep going door-to-door telling neighbors to evacuate.

"That takes a considerable amount of time, if you're looking at a large neighborhood that's spread out," Scott said. "With this siren, we can go into a neighborhood and alert people much, much more quickly."

The sheriff's office started reprogramming the sirens last week.

Eventually, every unit will have use of the hi-low siren for evacuations.

Source: https://www.kcra.com/article/placer-county-deputies-to-use-new-siren-during-wildfire-evacuations/29732598