Posted at 12:33 a.m., Monday, October 1, 2007
Navy testing new 'Giant Voice' this week
Advertiser Staff
Starting today and continuing through Sunday, the Navy will be testing its new "Giant Voice" Mass Notification System located at various Navy installations on Oahu. The newly installed system will provide base-wide siren signals, and prerecorded and live voice messages for emergency situations. Navy personnel have been informed that tones and messages emitted from the system, are part of a testing phase and should be disregarded.However, Hawaii residents who live or work near a Navy installation may hear some of the notifications during this testing. The test messages will consist of the following: (a) Tone Alert - single frequency tone alert for 5 second duration; (b) Recorded Voice Test Message – "This is a test of the Pearl Harbor Emergency Notification System," and (c) Live Voice Message Stating – "Testing 1, 2, 3, 4."
Of the various types of messages, it is expected that the single frequency tone will travel the furthest distance, which is 1/2 mile to 3/4 mile. The voice messages will travel less distance.
Testing is scheduled to progress as follows:
TODAY
Pearl Harbor – West Loch/Whiskey Piers (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.)
Pearl Harbor – Pearl City/Victor Piers and Ford Island (1 p.m. - 3 p.m.)
Pearl Harbor – Bravo and Hotel Piers (3 p.m. – 5 p.m.)
TUESDAY
Pearl Harbor – Sierra and Kilo Piers (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.)
Pearl Harbor – Fleet Industrial Supply Center and Kilo Piers (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
Pearl Harbor – Naval Shipyard/Control Industrial Area (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.)
Pearl Harbor – Makalapa Compound (3 p.m. – 5 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY
Pearl Harbor – Regional Dispatch Center/Bldg.167 (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
System Optimization – Work will be performed on any individual tower that needs attention, based on the earlier testing. (12 p.m. – 5 p.m.)
THURSDAY
Pearl Harbor – Full-on, system-wide testing of 15 of the 18 systems. area (1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.)
FRIDAY
Wahiawa – NCTAMSPAC (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
Final adjustments and modifications to the system will occur Thursday through Sunday, with all testing to be completed by Sunday. As of 12:01 a.m., Oct. 8, all messages will be real and shall be closely listened to and followed by all military and civilian DOD employees on Navy facilities.