Early-warning sirens shouldn't be a choice 

Escape from a disaster at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant requires a mass evacuation of people that depends on a system of sirens to warn of the emergency. But, if you happen to be in one of the many places in our county where the sirens are not audible, radiation sickness may be your first signal that something terrible has happened.

Yet, PG&E - enabled by the apathy of the County Office of Emergency Services, the County Board of Supervisors, the California Public Utilities Commission, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency - irresponsibly refuses to fund a system of sirens that would give early warning to everyone in every part of the danger zone, no matter where they happen to be when the emergency occurs. No one should have to die a horrible death because PG&E didn't want to spend the money to provide a first-class siren system.

The bureaucrats and politicians must hear from the people that we demand they stop catering to PG&E and start providing for our safety.

Perry Martin

Avila Beach