Question for siren owners

[StormanCharlie]

This is a question I have for people who own originally pole mounted CD sirens. Who did you have to contact to be able to sound your siren off without repercussions? I would understand needing to contact either county or state EMA, but did you need to contact someone about possible noise complaints during siren testing? Did you need to get in contact with local police or a neighborhood president about testing times or reasons for activation? Basically what I'm trying to ask is, who did you need to contact to make sure that you can legally use your siren to alert people within the siren coverage area?

[championsiren]

I sound mine off every Thursday at 6PM. I really only keep my neighbors updated, because I live in the country. But if you live in a more dense area, you will probably need to do more than just notify your neighbors, unless your city has a regulated test schedule.

[HDN]

I'd probably set mine off in an enclosed space to keep sound outside to a minimum. It would probably sound like some of the farm equipment heard throughout my area. That avoids the whole problem entirely.

[OHIO Desperado]

Good question and you need to carefully consider the possible consequences for doing it wrong.
First off, sounding a siren that is NOT part of a jurisdictional warning system (government owned) could get you charged with inducing panic and jailed. They may just come and scream at you for a while, or you may get your siren taken and spend time in the gray bar hotel. So know this and don't be dumb.

Proper way to have and sound a siren.
First thing is having it properly installed, on a pole with constant power wired to it and NOT an extension cord or other temporary power.
Contact the jurisdiction that takes care of the sirens in YOUR area. This could be the county, city or township officials.
Explain that you have a siren that you restored and would like to AT NO COST provide warning coverage for your immediate area. But be mindful. If you do this and the siren breaks, the jurisdiction may push you real hard to ensure that it's maintained and operational at ALL times. And since it's yours, YOU will need to foot the bill for the repairs to the siren if it breaks. If you are not willing to do this or have the financial means to do this, don't bother with any of it. Once you are providing warning services for an area, you HAVE TO continue to do so basically forever. So if you are 16 and have a siren, and it's at your parents house when you grow up and move away, YOU will still need to maintain that siren. If you / your parents sell that house, you will need to have electric service installed for the siren, and pay that bill. But the siren HAS TO continue to work. Your other option is to see if the jurisdiction wants to take ownership of the siren that you have installed at your location. Then it's theirs and you no longer own it and can't mess with it at all. But you need to realize that a tornado siren is NOT a toy to be messed with if it's warning people of severe weather or other disaster. It can be the difference between people making it to shelter, or dying if it's not working. And your neighbors will REALLY not be neighborly if their daughter blows away in a tornado like Dorthy did when she took her trip to Oz. Figure on getting sued A LOT.

So if you can get permission and you are good with lives hanging in the balance, not to mention being sued until your really broke, you will need to contact the folks that activate the sirens in your jurisdiction and see what protocols they are using and get an address (siren ID) assigned to your siren. Then you will need to obtain a controller and radio to interface to your siren and have your assigned ID programmed into that controller. Figure a controller is gonna cost between 2000 and 4000 dollars. Because 2000 will get you a Whelen controller (VA2000) or 4K if you need an FCH Federal controller. Those are the two most common protocols, at least in my state.

Otherwise, sound it for the 4th of July, New years and maybe once or twice other than that and sit and stare at it the rest of the time.

[StormanCharlie]

Good question and you need to carefully consider the possible consequences for doing it wrong.
First off, sounding a siren that is NOT part of a jurisdictional warning system (government owned) could get you charged with inducing panic and jailed. They may just come and scream at you for a while, or you may get your siren taken and spend time in the gray bar hotel. So know this and don't be dumb.

Proper way to have and sound a siren.
First thing is having it properly installed, on a pole with constant power wired to it and NOT an extension cord or other temporary power.
Contact the jurisdiction that takes care of the sirens in YOUR area. This could be the county, city or township officials.
Explain that you have a siren that you restored and would like to AT NO COST provide warning coverage for your immediate area. But be mindful. If you do this and the siren breaks, the jurisdiction may push you real hard to ensure that it's maintained and operational at ALL times. And since it's yours, YOU will need to foot the bill for the repairs to the siren if it breaks. If you are not willing to do this or have the financial means to do this, don't bother with any of it. Once you are providing warning services for an area, you HAVE TO continue to do so basically forever. So if you are 16 and have a siren, and it's at your parents house when you grow up and move away, YOU will still need to maintain that siren. If you / your parents sell that house, you will need to have electric service installed for the siren, and pay that bill. But the siren HAS TO continue to work. Your other option is to see if the jurisdiction wants to take ownership of the siren that you have installed at your location. Then it's theirs and you no longer own it and can't mess with it at all. But you need to realize that a tornado siren is NOT a toy to be messed with if it's warning people of severe weather or other disaster. It can be the difference between people making it to shelter, or dying if it's not working. And your neighbors will REALLY not be neighborly if their daughter blows away in a tornado like Dorthy did when she took her trip to Oz. Figure on getting sued A LOT.

So if you can get permission and you are good with lives hanging in the balance, not to mention being sued until your really broke, you will need to contact the folks that activate the sirens in your jurisdiction and see what protocols they are using and get an address (siren ID) assigned to your siren. Then you will need to obtain a controller and radio to interface to your siren and have your assigned ID programmed into that controller. Figure a controller is gonna cost between 2000 and 4000 dollars. Because 2000 will get you a Whelen controller (VA2000) or 4K if you need an FCH Federal controller. Those are the two most common protocols, at least in my state.

Otherwise, sound it for the 4th of July, New years and maybe once or twice other than that and sit and stare at it the rest of the time.

Thank you for the info. When I get my siren, I do plan on making it a part of my future residences city warning system. I would test monthly with schedule, as well as growl tests every week on the day of monthly testing. I am also planning on having main power from solar panels with a battery backup. The siren I plan on getting comes with a radio, so I can activate it via remote software, polygon activation, or if need be, activation by county officials. I also plan on having multiple ways to be contacted by county EMA in case something happens that isn't weather related that requires siren activation. Once again, thank you for the info.

[HDN]

Otherwise, sound it for the 4th of July, New years and maybe once or twice other than that and sit and stare at it the rest of the time.

I'd do this too. I'm in no position to volunteer my siren for the EWS. I pay taxes so that my municipality can take care of the actual outdoor EWS in my area