The British Virgin Islands has expanded its emergency alert infrastructure with a new outdoor siren placed in Long Bay, which went live in October, the Department of Disaster Management said on Monday.
The installation raises the territory's total outdoor siren count to 17 units. Director Jasen Penn described the addition as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen how the public receives warnings about imminent threats.
The Long Bay location was chosen because of its substantial coastal population and an existing gap in warning reach. Testing confirmed the siren's sound carries roughly 2,500 feet, with coverage extending from Long Bay Beach's entrance toward Smuggler's Cove, depending on weather and atmospheric factors.
Outdoor sirens serve a specific role within the territory's broader alert system: they reach people outside who may lack access to radios, mobile phones, or other communication tools, and they help visitors unfamiliar with local warning methods. The system activates these sirens only during genuine emergencies, such as tsunami threats or other dangers requiring immediate public response. Monthly testing allows residents to familiarize themselves with the alert sound.
When residents hear the siren, Penn advised them to seek further information through the Department's website, mobile app, WhatsApp channel, Facebook page, or local radio broadcasts. He stressed that sirens cannot signal every hazard: people living on the coast who experience a prolonged or intense earthquake should move inland or uphill immediately without waiting for an alert.
The unit operates primarily on solar power, enabling it to function during power outages. Installation was a joint undertaking involving the Office of the Deputy Governor, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, and the BVI Electricity Corporation. The siren underwent successful testing during October's monthly system check.
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