- Prev
- 1 of 2
- Next
DURING a special meeting with the Mayors’ Council yesterday, Office of Civil Defense acting Administrator Leo Espia gave an update on the status of the island’s emergency sirens.
During the meeting, mayors wanted to know exactly where the tsunami alert sirens will be placed, especially in villages that have low-lying areas. They include Tamuning/Tumon, Hagåtña, Dededo, Agat, Piti, Asan, Umatac, Merizo, Inarajan, Talofofo, Yoña, Mangilao, and Chalan Pågo.
Pilar Carbullido, of the Guam Homeland Security, asked the mayors to submit recommendations on how many sirens they need per village.
“What’s going to happen is that our team is going to go out and take a look at the area. We will actually survey the area and then a recommendation will be made if it’s a feasible area,” she said.
Carbullido added they are looking at the construction of towers for 15 sirens that are already on the island, and are working with engineers from the Department of Public Works and the Department of Land Management.
Umatac Mayor Dean Sanchez, however, said officials may be “putting the cart before the horse.”
“The real question we’re asking is: When are we getting these sirens?” Sanchez asked.
Carbullido understands there are concerns with regard to the delay in the deployment of the sirens, which is already going on five years. She asked once more for patience from the mayors.
“If we had the power, we’d already have put them up,” she said. A bid protest put a hold on the process, but was recently resolved.
