Special sirens are installed to alert the public if there were an emergency at Indian Point. The sirens are loud, high-pitched alarms that would sound continuously for four minutes in the event of an emergency at the plant. These sirens are tested at least quarterly, and these tests are announced in advance through the news media. Members of the public can sign up for the county's emergency alert e-mails, and monitor the county Web site and county social media feeds for siren test notifications.
If there is a potential for, or an actual release of, radiological materials to the environment, the county executive -- in partnership with New York State officials -- might sound these sirens.
These units are located throughout the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) around Indian Point. This includes portions of Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester Counties.
Sirens are not a signal to evacuate
If you hear these sirens, turn on your radio or television and tune to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) station near you for further information. These stations are listed below:
Emergency Alert System stations
| AM Radio | FM Radio | Television |
| WABC 770 | WHUD 100.7 | WABC Ch 7 |
| WCBS 880 | WJGK 103.1 | WCBS Ch 2 |
| WFAS 1230 | WNYC 93.9 | WNBC Ch 4 |
| WINS 1010 | WOSR 91.7 | WNYW Ch 5 |
| WLNA 1420 | WRPJ 88.9 | News 12 Westchester |
| WOR 710 |
Who is responsible for sounding the sirens in the event of an emergency?
Each county has the ability to activate their sirens from multiple locations. County emergency management officials would direct the sounding of the sirens in case of an emergency at Indian Point.
Each county government decides when to sound the sirens, and efforts are coordinated among the four counties.
What happens if a siren doesn’t work when it is sounded?
In the unlikely event that a siren does not function correctly, each county’s Emergency Operations Center contains trained staff with the ability to alert the public through alternate means. This may include automated telephone callouts or other types of mass notification.
Who do I call to verify if the sirens being sounded are for a test or an emergency?
Please do not call your county's Emergency Management Office; rather, wait to see how long the siren sounds. The siren system within ten miles of Indian Point is tested periodically. These tests are publicized in advance via local media outlets. If you hear a siren that sounds continuously for four minutes, tune to WHUD 100.7 FM on your radio and/or monitor your television for an EAS broadcast.