Wake County sirens near Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant were scheduled test

The 85 outdoor warning sirens around Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant sounded for 5 to 30 seconds Wednesday morning in a scheduled test, and residents in New Hill, Apex and other southern Wake communities were told not to treat the noise as a real emergency. Duke Energy and county officials carried out the test between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., two days after an accidental activation. Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant has been part of the Triangle since 1987.

The exercise checked the warning system that protects the 10-mile emergency planning zone around the plant. Wake County Emergency Management is the lead radiological emergency preparedness agency for Harris, and the county works with Chatham County, Lee County and Harnett County, along with state and federal agencies, on planning, training and exercises for the plant.

The 10-mile zone is divided into evacuation and sheltering areas so officials can give clear instructions if there is ever a real problem. Residents should familiarize themselves with the area map, evacuation routes and emergency reception center locations, especially if they live, work or send children to school inside the planning area.

Only two of the four nuclear emergency classifications may require public action, such as sheltering in place or evacuation. If a siren sounds outside a test, residents should stay calm, listen for official instructions and avoid leaving home unless they are in a declared evacuation area and told to go.

Schools and child-care facilities inside the 10-mile area are required by federal law to have evacuation plans. The county maintains a database of pre-identified residents who may need assistance during an incident.

Duke Energy maintains more than 400 pole-mounted outdoor warning sirens in the 10-mile areas around its nuclear plants, and the Harris sirens are tested quarterly in coordination with county emergency management. The company would immediately notify federal, state and local authorities if there were a problem at the plant, and those officials would decide whether sheltering, evacuation or no public action was needed. Duke Energy also offers a text-message preparedness tool that sends siren-test reminders, but not actual emergency alerts.