KEY POINTS:
A helicopter will fly along the Bay of Plenty coast tomorrow to test the latest tool in the region's tsunami warning system.
Weather permitting, Tauranga's TrustPower Tect rescue helicopter will fly between Waihi and Pukehina beaches some time after midday broadcasting a message on a loudspeaker.
The message is designed to test whether the helicopter loudspeaker could be used as an effective public address system in a tsunami.
It is envisioned that the helicopter would warn coastal residents of an impending wave by telling them to turn on their radios and listen for evacuation information.
"We just fire a helicopter off and it takes about 40 minutes to do the whole of our coastal strip," said Civil Defence and Emergency Management operations manager Alan Pearce.
He expected the helicopter warnings would also be useful at night, when people were asleep and not watching television or listening to the radio.
And it was a safeguard while the Bay of Plenty lacked a permanent siren warning system.
"Our philosophy down here is 'one doesn't want to rely on one system'," Mr Pearce said.
Civil defence staff will be stationed along the coast to monitor the test.
Mr Pearce wants feedback and urges people to call (07) 579-6781 to let him know how well they heard the message.
