News Release
October 18, 2021

On Wednesday, October 20, Toronto East Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TE CAER) will be conducting its last testing of the community siren system for the year. Residents, schools and businesses in Scarborough-Guildwood and Scarborough-Rouge Park, located within one kilometre of the sirens, should expect to hear the siren testing. Depending on the weather conditions, the siren may be heard beyond these boundaries.

Testing is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 20 at 2.05 p.m. The siren will make a “whoop, whoop” tone which will sound for two minutes followed by five minutes of silence. After the five minutes of silence, an All Clear monotone sound will be issued for one minute.

The community siren system is designed to warn residents and businesses in the unlikely event of a chemical emergency. Testing of the community siren system satisfies provincial requirements, ensures operation of the system, and increases public awareness.

The “whooping” tone is a siren warning that will be activated in the event of an actual chemical incident requiring emergency notification of businesses, schools and residents within the vicinity.

People in the Scarborough-Rouge Park and Scarborough-Guildwood areas are encouraged to listen for the siren testing, identify the meaning and follow emergency guidelines. Residents, schools and businesses should use siren testing as an opportunity to test their emergency preparedness. Residents should take shelter inside, turn off HVAC and other ventilation systems that can draw outdoor air inside the house (clothes dryer, fans, window air conditioners, etc.), and close all doors and windows.

In a real emergency, residents should also follow emergency information and instructions provided through official government channels. This may be in the form of local radio or television station broadcast, and/or cellular Wireless Emergency Alert.

Residents are advised to contact TE CAER at 416-287-4483 if the siren tone is heard in circumstances other than a test or to report siren operational issues. The next testing is scheduled to occur in the first quarter of 2022.

For more information about what to expect in case of an emergency, please visit the Toronto East CAER page on Facebook.

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