The Cook nuclear power plant near Bridgman will do an extended test of its siren system this Saturday. The plant has released the following statement:
The regularly-scheduled siren test for Berrien County’s Emergency Alert and Notification System happens at 1:00 p.m. the first Saturday of the month and typically lasts for about one minute. In April however, the sirens will sound for a full three minutes.
“People in the area are used to hearing the sirens run for about one minute on the first Saturday of the month,” said Cook Nuclear Plant Emergency Preparedness Manager Kevin Simpson. “However, every April, we test the sirens for a full three minutes to ensure the sirens will run for extended periods of time. We try to get the word out about this longer test so no one gets unnecessarily concerned.”
The 70 omni-directional electronic sirens are an important part of Berrien County’s Alert and Notification System within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone radius of the Cook Plant in Bridgman. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Emergency 911 System will occasionally get calls during Cook’s regular siren testing. This notification of the longer April test is being made to minimize those distractions.
Sirens and other basic emergency information can be found in the emergency information calendars that are produced by the Cook Plant and mailed annually to residents and businesses in Berrien County. A PDF of the calendar along with FAQs can be found at www.cookinfo.com/Emergency Plan.aspx
“The times we’re living in right now are a perfect example of why our annual Emergency Calendar and these siren tests are so important for our community,” said Cook Communications Manager, Bill Downey. “It lets residents and visitors know there is a solid system in place that will alert and inform them about how to stay safe in an emergency.”
While regular monthly tests last about one minute, the sirens would sound for three to five minutes in the event of a real emergency, and residents should tune to local radio or television stations for more information.
If you have questions or would like a copy of the emergency information calendar, visit www.cookinfo.com/EmergencyPlan.aspx, email cookinfo@aep.com or visit the Cook Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CookNuclear. Also, for your protection, please report non-working sirens right away. If you note a problem with a siren near your home, call the Berrien County Emergency Management Office at 269-983-7111 x4915.
Cook Nuclear Plant is owned and operated by Indiana Michigan Power, headquartered in Fort Wayne. At full capacity, the 1,084-net MW Unit 1 and 1,194-net MW Unit 2 combined produce enough electricity for more than one and one half million average homes. Indiana Michigan Power is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP), one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity and custom energy solutions to nearly 5.4 million customers in 11 states.
