Tauranga is to have a million dollar tsunami siren warning system.
'We have decided to proceed with installing a siren system in Tauranga city,” says Mayor Stuart Crosby.
Pole mounted sirens are the core of the Tauranga City Council tsunami warning system to be built.
'We went for, at this stage, using power poles and 10 metre poles, lots of small sirens,” says Stuart of the decision made by the Tauranga City Council on Monday.
'Obviously there is more design to go into that, but that is our current thinking – and beefing up the evacuation plans as well.
'We've agreed to that as part of our walking and cycling network – we will put in eight bridges across the stream; that's over a couple of years though.”
From a range of options presented for deliberation as part of the city's annual plan process, councillors chose the option intended to give a 75 decibel warning to 80-100 per cent of residents living in the zones expected to be affected by a four metre tsunami wave.
The preference is for a mix of sirens that are mounted on power poles and those mounted on separate 10 metre poles.
The sirens are expected to cost between $750,000 and $1 million.
Councillors resolved to budget an additional $300,000 in 2011/12 for preparation, resource consents and any implementation, and that the balance of funding should be considered through the Ten Year Plan
They also resolved to work with other potential funding partners including the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
The siren system will go hand-in-hand with a number of already-planned and already-budgeted roading upgrades to help with evacuations.
In addition, it will budget $100,000 in 2011/12 and $100,000 in 2012/13 to construct up to eight walkway bridges / footpaths to aid pedestrian evacuation routes from Papamoa.
Also budgeted in the upcoming financial year is $70,000 specifically for training the community in evacuations and liaising with Civil Defence on education packages, rather than invest further TCC money into education.
The noise level of 75 decibels is picked as loud enough to penetrate a building and wake some occupants.
It is the same noise level generated by the average washing machine or vacuum cleaner.
A Tauranga City Council map identifying the areas where 75 decibel sirens mounted on 10 metre poles would be heard.
15 comments
Tsunami Sirens
Posted on 31-05-2011 11:21 | By gummers
What a ridiculous decision to purchase small sirens that output only 75 decibels!! You would need a siren on a pole approx. every 150m to 200m!! Not as detailed in the Council map. I'm sure that one positioned at the base of the Mount (near the hot pools) - no one would hear it at the harbour entrance!! Not unless they have very noisy washing machines or vacuum cleaners!! What a joke. Come on Council get decent very loud sirens and then you would require a lot less.
AT LAST A DECISION
Posted on 31-05-2011 11:29 | By tabatha
people in the Papamoa area will be pleased a decision has been made, all we can hope is the sirens and the bridges are installed and not needed before or after. As long as they announce a testing programme regularly so people get use to the sound. Like the old old siren in 15th Avenue, lionked to the volunteer fire service years ago, sounded off 12.00 noon everyday, much to us boys at college, half an hour to lunchtime, also teachers had to wait for the siren to stop most days.
crazy
Posted on 31-05-2011 13:20 | By Gringo
I can only imagine the amount of maintenance required on a system like this at the mount. How often will they need to be replaced? Outdoor speakers last about 3 years at the mount on average. Its a Rediculous idea. Has no one heard the volunteer fire brigade sirens in the coromandel??? surely a few of these would be better than this rediculous proposition. Someone must stand to make a lot of money from the contract and maintenance...
About Time
Posted on 31-05-2011 13:43 | By Jitter
Hoo bloody ray ! A sensible decision has been made at last. I agree with Gummer though that fewer larger and more powerful sirens would be a more sensible choice. Classic Flyers have a larger WW II air raid siren on a trolley on the ground. When this is fired up I can hear it at home in Beachmere Place which is at the bottom of Pacific View Road. However the question now is how long is it going to take to plan (obviously consultants will be involved as TCC cannot do anything without the say so of consultants) and then install these sirens and bridges over the stream ? Another couple of years ?
YoYo Council
Posted on 31-05-2011 14:06 | By Openknee8ted
Strikes again
Openknee8ted ~ u r bad .. lol
Posted on 31-05-2011 18:29 | By Nigel Barker
As some one else has said here and been said many times by others "Get the old volunteer fire station sirens" like the one at Classic Flyers.(I was born'n'bred in New Brighton and can not ever recall their one being taken down) Bloody hell TCC what is this with being so bloody minded about things & Stuart for "God"s" sake (seeing as you won't listen to 'your' subjects) go and talk with your mate Andrew at Classic Flyers. He is one hell of a good dude and would be happy to help out with some info. And lets be very very honest here. Over many years Andrew has proved to be a very good business person. Why not be associated with successful people? Stuart, "PLEASE"!! "Citizens Monitoring Council"
I did forget to say
Posted on 31-05-2011 18:49 | By Nigel Barker
That I would be more than happy to carry out 'any' tasks that would help to reduce the cost of this exercise. In addition ~ ***I would assure appropriate funding to test one siren in any area to confirm or other wise if suitable or not***. That is "NO" cost to TCC or ratepayers!! Why the "HUGE" expense of consultants? Who IMO never ever take responsibility for 'their' decisions. "Citizens Monitoring Council"
Hook into this lot
Posted on 01-06-2011 07:05 | By KAMIKAZE
Nigel Barker do not get euphoric over this TCC announcement. Gummers is correct the sirens will be woefully underpowered probably ill sited and look like they are the things TCC had been hiding in storage probably with the museum artifacts.I will almost guarantee they will not fit for purpose and someone will be paid megabucks to install them.Another TCC ratepayer rip off.
No pleasing the whingers
Posted on 01-06-2011 08:36 | By al pillocksworth
It's been great to watch the comings and goings over the sirens issue, especially the changes of mind. But honestly the whiners on here are so extreme it makes me wonder if they couldn't replace the sirens themselves. No great fan of politicians but they're damned whatever they do by this lot. We want sirens, whinge, moan, whine. We're going to get them, but they'll be too small whinge moan whine, Who's going to hear any siren on a stormy night anyway. Better hope that the tsunami comes on a still day. If it comes from White Island, your sirens will alert you just after you're inundated. Being intelligent people the tsunami risk is one of those things you take into account when you choose to build close to sea level.
KAMIKAZE
Posted on 01-06-2011 09:42 | By Nigel Barker
one is not **euphoric over this TCC announcement.** Have reread what I wrote. Maybe my Cantabrian 'one eye' reads it different.Buggered if I can see where I agree with the type of siren and have offered personal help and 'advised' the Mayor at 'no' cost the appropriate avenue for very good cost effective assistance in this matter. ***Bloody hell TCC what is this with being so bloody minded about things & Stuart for "God"s" sake (seeing as you won't listen to 'your' subjects) go and talk with your mate Andrew at Classic Flyers.*** "Citizens Monitoring Council"
Sirens second comment..
Posted on 01-06-2011 11:21 | By gummers
I'm not whinging about getting sirens - an excellent idea. But the choice of siren is another matter. If a tsunami was on the way to the Mount/Papamoa etc I would think that people would want to be deafened by a very loud siren!! If it was during the day, what with all the daytime noises..traffic etc, I would say that the proposed 75 decibel sirens would be greatly under powered. As Nigel Barker stated, test one first before proceeding further.
Pacific Rim wake the dead type needed
Posted on 02-06-2011 22:18 | By KAMIKAZE
For openers TCC try installing the correct size sirens volume wise strategically placed every 500m.Plus get top bang for the $bucks spent not the usual TCC spendup on useless overpriced rubbish.Failing this it is all a complete waste of time effort and megabucks.
@ Gummers
Posted on 03-06-2011 00:24 | By THE RING MASTER
You got it, no need to worry about PC / tact and so on with the Tsunami heading in, louder is better.
SIZE OF YA HORN
Posted on 06-06-2011 19:13 | By YOGI
If you have wee one like what is in that photo then there is little chance of awaking in time for anything, seems a lot has been fogotten since WW2 where everyone knew "BEFORE" the Germans arrived that they were coming!
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE NOISE IT MAKES!
Posted on 06-06-2011 19:21 | By SLIPPERY SALAMI
That directly relates to how big the horn is and how far apart they are between you dont want to have any dead spots. The smaller they are the more of them you need, you may even need several at once in one place to try and make up for lack of size and volume. These are obviously to small, will never hear them and the best effort will then be made to sleep through everything. The only good thing about that is that you will never know what hit you, the Tsumani.
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