Sirens sound

July 12. More than five dozen warning sirens around the McGuire Nuclear Station will be tested for three minutes between 11 am and 1 pm this Wednesday, July 14. Some sirens may sound more than once.

It may be disconcerting, but the tests are necessary in case there is an emergency. Public safety officials in Mecklenburg, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba counties will be sounding all 67 sirens for the McGuire test.

If there were ever a real emergency at the plant requiring the sirens to be sounded, local radio and television stations would broadcast information and instructions to the public. Because this is a test, that’s not going to happen.