Beach Evacuation Alert Test Planned For Thursday In The South Bay

TORRANCE, CA — A second full volume test of the new Beach Emergency Evacuation Lights System is planned for Thursday afternoon at Torrance Beach, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.

The test is planned from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday. Locals can expect to hear a siren, see flashing lights, announcements and other warnings for beachgoers telling them to leave the beach.

BEELS will flash white LED lights mounted on structures, including some lifeguard towers. It also broadcasts an audible siren and evacuation announcement in both English and Spanish. The message will change based on the evacuation type. The lights will flash slowly for a water-only evacuation and quickly for full water and beach evacuations.

The alert Thursday will announce "This is only a test" before the evacuation announcements begin.

"During the test, people nearby may hear evacuation alerts for tsunami warnings, severe thunderstorms, shark sightings, earthquakes, and other beach and water emergencies," according to county officials.

People who have sensitive hearing are urged to avoid the Torrance Beach area Thursday afternoon.

"These messages will be played at maximum volume so to ensure they can be heard everywhere on Torrance Beach during a real emergency," county officials said. "Due to anticipated high decibel levels, people who have sensitive hearing should avoid the area."

The first test of the system April 29 did not go as planned, officials said.

"While the lights flashed and announcements were broadcast after technical issues, the volume of the announcements was not as loud as expected," county officials said. "A second, quieter test of the system on May 6 was a success."

More upcoming tests are planned for May 20 and 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. Those tests, however, are expected to be at a much lower volume.

BEELS is the first beach evacuation alert system worldwide to feature flashing lights specifically to alert those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It's part of the county's push toward giving more people access to beach areas.

Torrance Beach is the pilot location for the system and testing. The county's goal is to expand it to every beach in Los Angeles County to help notify a wider range of people at the beach if there is a future evacuation.

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