By Dolores E. Pike

This past Saturday at 10 a.m. brought to mind that old Simon and Garfunkel favorite, "The Sounds of Silence." And just what was the silence heard in Ocean Pines? It was the absence of the emergency sirens sounding throughout the community because the test did not take place. And the reason? Another delay by the electronics contractor in Salisbury employed to effect the necessary repair to the equipment.

On the first Saturday of each month Worcester County schedules a one minute test of community sirens to make sure they are operating. In the event of an emergency the siren is merely a trigger to alert residents to go to their radios or televisions where further information will be provided as to the reason for the siren.

It was only after Comprehensive Planning Commission members Roseann Bridgman and Doug Slingerland were tasked to look into the status of emergency planning matters that it was discovered the emergency sirens in Ocean Pines were not operating.

According Mr. Slingerland, the contract was signed in August for the repair of the controller, or triggering box, that receives the radio controlled signal sent directly from the county's control station. Each month the county had been sending the signal but because the controller was not working, the sirens never sounded in Ocean Pines. The county's responsibility is to monitor and test the electronic equipment. It is the responsibility of the Ocean Pines Association to keep the equipment in repair.

Ocean Pines has three sirens which are located at Golf Club Road and the Parkway, the water tower on Sandyhook Road and behind the south side Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Station. The range of the three sirens is meant to cover all of Ocean Pines.

It looked promising that in the month of November Ocean Pines would be in compliance with the sounding of the sirens. It was expected that the controller would be repaired. By Friday afternoon Mr. Slingerman said it was learned that the repair would not be completed in time but the words of encouragement were that it would be repaired in the upcoming week.