Two years after San Francisco officials determined the city's Outdoor Public Warning System needed an upgrade to address security concerns, the sirens that used to ring every Tuesday at noon are still silent.
The city's original project deadline has come and gone, and officials have said upgrades could take another two years. If the project receives enough funding, that is.
The Outdoor Public Warning System, which dates back to World War II, was silenced in December 2019 due to security concerns.
Upgrades were originally expected to take two years, but the city isn't any closer to finishing the project now. Zamora said it’s because the COVID-19 pandemic response altered spending priorities.
"It's all about funding," Zamora said. "It's all about resources and funding. And so, should funding be available to be able to bring the sirens back online, we estimate that it will be anywhere from an 18-month to two-year project."
Marcus, an Ocean Beach resident, is concerned that the system has not been updated. He said the siren system was better because everyone could hear it.
"Because with these crazy times going on with the weather, especially with the ocean – tidal waves and tsunamis going on – we could use some kind of warning," he told KCBS Radio.
In meantime, Zamora said that the COVID-19 response has taught them a lot about getting information out through the media and first responders.
"We have established alternate ways in which people could get alert and warning during an emergency," Zamora said. "So there's the AlertSF system; there’s working with the media; there’s the wireless emergency alert system. And then also through our COVID response, we learned that there are some very effective ways to coordinate with our communities to get messages out to those that may not always be connected electronically."
Zamora added that first responders can also notify people in the event of an emergency.
City residents can sign up to receive emergency alerts and text messages through AlertSF here.
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