COLUMBIA (WACH) - Sirens located near the Lake Murray Dam and the nuclear station in Fairfield County will be tested next week.

According to SCE&G, the company will conduct the two separate tests of siren warning systems on Tuesday.

Officials say the siren warning system along the Lower Saluda River will be fully activated at noon as part of the Lake Murray Dam emergency action plan. The siren will sound for three minutes and will be tested on the second Tuesday of January each year. One-minute tests will also be conducted at noon on the second Tuesday each month throughout the year.

In the event of a potential failure of the Lake Murray Dam and the new backup dam, the sirens are activated to alert the public to tune in to Emergency Alert System stations for information.

The second test will occur around 1 p.m. SCE&G says all 106 sirens located within a 10-mile radius of V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Jenkinsville will sound.

Authorities remind residents that the sounding of sirens during this time is only a test.

In the event of an actual emergency at the plant, the sirens would sound for three minutes with no prior notice and would alert area residents to tune to an Emergency Alert System radio or television station for further instructions.

Click here for more information, or call your local emergency management office:

• Calhoun County - (803) 874-3042
• Fairfield County - (803) 635-4444
• Lexington County - (803) 785-8343
• Newberry County - (803) 321-2135
• Richland County - (803) 576-3400
• S.C. Emergency Mgt. Division - (803) 737-8500