New nuclear plant sirens to sound Oct. 13 in Franklin County

New Franklin County sirens for the nuclear power plant near Richland will be tested starting at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 .

They will be tested again along with Benton County’s sirens for a semi-annual siren test 10 a.m. and noon Oct. 15 to check emergency equipment and for training on emergency response procedures.

The Franklin County sirens are just east of Glade North Road near Juniper Road, about a mile north of the intersection of Glade North and Ringold Road and a mile northeast of the intersection of Taylor Flats Road and Eltopia West Road.

Thursday’s testing will include sirens along the Columbia and Yakima rivers and in Benton and Franklin counties within about 10 miles of Columbia Generating Station nuclear plant.

The siren test will be heard throughout these areas and along the Columbia River between the Vernita Bridge and Leslie Groves Park in north Richland.

Sirens also will be heard at the Horn Rapids Off-Road Vehicle Park, the firing range on Horn Road, Columbia Generating Station and nearby areas.

Energy Northwest, emergency response officials from Benton and Franklin counties, and the Department of Energy will conduct the Thursday tests.

Officials will test the siren system multiple times, and each test will be preceded and followed by voice announcements confirming that the siren activation is part of a test.

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 4:53 PM with the headline "New nuclear plant sirens to sound Oct. 13 in Franklin County."