Here’s where the new emergency alert systems in Blaine, Birch Bay are going this month

Tsunami sirens will go up in Birch Bay and Blaine later this month, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office said.

The installation for the two sirens is scheduled for the week of April 17, according to a statement issued by the sheriff’s office. The county does plan to test the sirens at some point after their installation, but it’s unclear when that will be, said John Gargett, deputy director of emergency management with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff’s office will announce the tests beforehand, Gargett said.

When they’re up and running, the sirens, known officially as All Hazard Alert Broadcast – or AHAB – sirens, will warn residents of a variety of emergencies.

The siren in Birch Bay will go in at Birch Bay Community Park, which is still under development. The location provides as close to complete coverage of Birch Bay as possible, the sheriff’s office said.

The Blaine siren will go next to the Lighthouse Point Water Reclamation Facility, and will serve downtown Blaine and Semiahmoo Spit.

The Birch Bay siren was paid for with a grant from Phillips 66, the sheriff’s office said. The one in Blaine was funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Washington State Military Department.

The county hired an archaeologist, approved by the Lummi Nation, to inspect the area in Birch Bay prior to installation, the sheriff’s office said. Officials have also invited members of the Lummi Nation and the Semiahmoo First Nation in Canada to observe the installation.

This story was originally published April 9, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Here’s where the new emergency alert systems in Blaine, Birch Bay are going this month."