East Sacramento residents startled by WW2-era air raid siren

[oregano]

Cold War-Era Relic Responsible For Loud Siren In East Sacramento Monday Night

An old air raid siren suddenly activated on the east side Monday night, startling residents in several neighborhoods who had no idea what it was. Turned out to be an air raid siren likely installed after Pearl Harbor to warn people of an imminent Japanese bombing run. The siren network was maintained until the 1960s when bombers were superseded by ballistic missiles. When it was no longer needed, the sirens were simply abandoned. The switching network used to activate the sirens was ripped out decades ago, but a likely short circuit in what is probably vacuum tube driven equipment activated this siren near Tahoe Park and Little Italy. To anybody younger than 60 a wartime bombing run is something that only exists in history books, and the under-40 set have likely never read much in the way of history.

 

[Gerontius]

Sounds like it did its job. If they could rewire this stuff to be started from the 911 dispatch again, it's a good thing to have around.

 

[Suzette]

My former town was a mining town. Everyday at 7 a.m. noon and 5 p.m. they would give a short blast of the sitens to signal shift changes in the mines. They still used the old sirens until 2010 when the new firehouse was built.
When the new firehouse was built they took a poll and decided to continue the siren but now they use a digital p.a. system.
During the aftermath of 9/11 they used the siren in long bursts every hour for the first 48 hours. Once it was accepted that there would be no invasion they discontinued the blasts.
This town still had a volunteer air patrol flying from the local airport. A holdover from WWIi. The air patrol was not allowed up during 9/11 because the f.a.a. feared it would create confusion.

 

[Gerontius]

My former town was a mining town. Everyday at 7 a.m. noon and 5 p.m. they would give a short blast of the sitens to signal shift changes in the mines. They still used the old sirens until 2010 when the new firehouse was built.
When the new firehouse was built they took a poll and decided to continue the siren but now they use a digital p.a. system.
During the aftermath of 9/11 they used the siren in long bursts every hour for the first 48 hours. Once it was accepted that there would be no invasion they discontinued the blasts.
This town still had a volunteer air patrol flying from the local airport. A holdover from WWIi. The air patrol was not allowed up during 9/11 because the f.a.a. feared it would create confusion.

They had a steam-whistle salvaged from an Atlantic Coast Line engine on the boiler of the factory in my town. As they did woodworking it was necessary to have a boiler to help bend the wood, and the machinery used to run on lineshafts from a steam engine. (@Nitro would like that.) The steam engine was replaced by electric motors turning the same ancient tools but the boiler stayed in place, burning wood from the lumber yard there and whistling every morning at 7:58 AM then at 8:00 to remind some folks who were late to work.

 

[Suzette]

@Gerontius, I love those old traditions. It is "homey" to hear the whistle or bells. It means everything us o.k.