Sirens in Atlanta, GA

[3t22fan]

While on my trip to Atlanta yesterday with my mom, we saw a couple of Federal/Whelen combos of these sirens: (I forgot the name of the street and I didn't take pictures).

Federal Thunderbolt 1000/1000T with Whelen Vortex

Federal STH-10 with Whelen Vortex

Federal STH-10 with Whelen Vortex

On another street (I forgot that name too) we also saw a Whelen 2910.

Does anyone know when Atlanta tests there sirens? I like to see if I can hear one before we leave on sunday.

[thewoog34]

I'm going to take a guess that the Whelens replaced the STH-10s (a good replacement if you ask me) but it could also be that the STH-10s are used for fire calls while the Whelens are used for other warnings.

[uncommonsense]

My suspicion 3t22fan, you were in the suburbs. I believe Melvin Potts indicated Smynra was replacing its system of yellow STH-10s with Whelens (can anyone confirm?). I know Cobb County is replacing its T-Bolts with Whelens. I bet you were in and among those places.

[murrfarms]

Sounds like those are all in Cobb County, with the Thunderbolt/Vortex and STH-10/Vortex combos being in Smyrna (separate system from the county's, although still in Cobb). The county tests their sirens every first Wednesday of the month at noon (weather permitting) for three minutes, and Smyrna usually sounds theirs about a couple minutes later than the others, also sounding for three minutes.

Were any of these the ones you saw?

1) Thunderbolt & Vortex - Smyrna FD #4 (Smyrna)
2) STH-10A & Vortex - Windy Hill & S Cobb Dr (Smyrna)
3) STH-10A - Windy Hill Rd & Woodlake Dr (Smyrna)
4) Whelen WPS-2810 - Cumberland Mall area (Atlanta, Cobb Co. side)

[Melvin Potts]

These sirensIwith exception of the Whelen 2910) are part of Smyrna's system and located in Cobb County. The 2910 is part of Cobb County's system; that area around Cumberland Mall has an Atlanta address even though it is in Cobb County.

Smyrna installed a few STH-10s in the 70s. The one @ S Cobb/Windy Hill was one of the original sirens.

I lived in Smyrna from 1971-1989. A few of Smyrna's STH-10s were installed in the late 80's when I still lived there.

Cobb County bought the old Tbolts which DeKalb County had taken down; they were installed after I moved back home (Nashville) in '89. Smyrna got 2 of them; the one shown in your picture is indeed at FS#4 in the South End of Smyrna.

Smyrna added a Whelen WPS and 2 Vortex sirens in later years, giving the city a total of 16 sirens. Vortex models have replaced 10 of these; the others(including the Tbolts) have been disconnected and left standing for at least 2-3 years now.

Although Smyrna had 2 sirens at fire stations, they weren't used for fire calls. They were sounded for tornado warnings only.

For many of the years I lived in Smyrna the city tested the system at noon each Saturday. However, they changed to the first Wednesday test a long time ago.


To my knowledge the city of Atlanta has no functioning sirens. Some of the suburban cities in Fulton County do; I know that Alpharetta and Roswell both have systems of Federal 2001s & Modulators.

[Brendan W]

There is an inactive Thunderbolt 1003 on top of the US courts building on Spring St. in Downtown Atlanta.

[Melvin Potts]

I didn't know about that Tbolt you mentioned in Atlanta.

Atlanta once had several of the gasoline powered Allertors. There was one atop the Hurt Bldg. downtown..it was named "Big Myrtle." City also had Model 5s in various locations.

There was a Tbolt at "Little 5 Points," but it's long gone; same for one on Roswell Rd. about a mi. N of 285 intersection.

[3t22fan]

Sounds like those are all in Cobb County, with the Thunderbolt/Vortex and STH-10/Vortex combos being in Smyrna (separate system from the county's, although still in Cobb). The county tests their sirens every first Wednesday of the month at noon (weather permitting) for three minutes, and Smyrna usually sounds theirs about a couple minutes later than the others, also sounding for three minutes.

Were any of these the ones you saw?

1) Thunderbolt & Vortex - Smyrna FD #4 (Smyrna)
2) STH-10A & Vortex - Windy Hill & S Cobb Dr (Smyrna)
3) STH-10A - Windy Hill Rd & Woodlake Dr (Smyrna)
4) Whelen WPS-2810 - Cumberland Mall area (Atlanta, Cobb Co. side)

The 1st, 2nd, and 4th picture is what I saw.

I also wanted to say that yesterday, I saw 3 more sirens.

The first and second sirens (Thunderbolt 1000/1000T and a Model 2) I saw were at fire departments across from each other. The third one (Thunderbolt?) was at a distance so I couldn't tell what is was, but it had a horn that looked like a T-Bolt.

[Brendan W]

Atlanta once had several of the gasoline powered Allertors. There was one atop the Hurt Bldg. downtown..it was named "Big Myrtle." City also had Model 5s in various locations.

By "Gasoline Powered Allertors" You mean Gas mobil-directos? I heardof Big Myrtle. She got scrapped, unfortunately.

I did see a couple of model 5s before. There was one near Pemberton Place, but it was taken down a few years back. And there was a 5T in the historical sector, but it was also taken down.

[Melvin Potts]

Apparently they were Gas Mobil Directos.

I saw Big Myrtle many times, but never heard it. Back in the early 70s I attended grad school at GA State. I rode the Greyhound from Smyrna; got off a fe blocks from GSU..and could see Big Myrtle atop the Hurt Bldg.

There was also one on corner of the former Noland Building alongside I-75 downtown; building was demolished long ago. Another was farther out Peachtree on top of building where Coach & 6 Restaurant located.

I recall seeing a Model 5 somewhere on a corner along Roswell Rd; believe it might have been in the Sandy Springs area, but not sure.