Hear an emergency siren? Here's what you need to know

"Oakland has 27 sirens throughout the city that produce three different sounds, said Feil. These sirens are located in the parts of the city where tsunamis and wildfires are most likely. A three-minute steady tone means you should shelter in place. A three-minute slow wail tone that goes from high to low pitch means there might be a tsunami. This sound might be familiar - every first Wednesday of the month at 12 p.m., Oakland tests its emergency siren system using this tone. If you hear this at any other time, then there might be an emergency."

"A three-minute fast wail tone that goes from high to low pitch means there's a fire. Except for the monthly test, here's what you should do after hearing one of the sirens: Check AC Alert, Alameda County's emergency alert notification system. You can sign up online for emergency alerts via email, text, or call. Check Genasys Protect, which provides real-time evacuation alerts based on your location. Tune into radio station KCBS (106.9 FM or 740 AM). Check out The Oaklandside or another trusted news source for further instructions. The Oakland police and fire departments' spokespeople will provide key information to us and other news outlets during an emergency."

"Jessica Feil, the city's emergency services manager, said she wasn't in town during the accidental activation but said it may have been triggered by "a glitch with the software." But what happens when it's the real deal? Oakland and Berkeley each have their own emergency notification system. Alameda County cannot activate sirens countywide, though Contra Costa County has a community warning system that covers Richmond through Antioch."

Oakland activated an emergency siren accidentally on April 10, producing a sound different from the usual monthly test. Oakland’s emergency services manager said a software glitch may have triggered the alert. Oakland has 27 sirens placed in areas where tsunamis and wildfires are most likely, and each sound indicates a different action. A three-minute steady tone means shelter in place. A three-minute slow wail from high to low pitch indicates a possible tsunami. A three-minute fast wail from high to low pitch indicates a fire. Outside the monthly first-Wednesday test, residents should check AC Alert, use Genasys Protect for location-based evacuation alerts, listen to KCBS, and follow instructions from Oakland police and fire through trusted news sources.

Read at The Oaklandside