John Day, Oregon, "paint can" siren test

[Daniel]

I took this yesterday when I was passing through John Day (population around 2,000). As I walked through a vacant lot that bordered what looked like an unused building, a firefighter came out and asked what I was doing. I told him that I was trying to get a recording of their noon siren, and he asked if I'd like to get the activation tones with it. Just before the first tone, there was a voice announcement: "Stand by for noon siren test." I believe that this siren is a Sterling, probably from the 1940's or 50's, and there are several of these in Oregon. I was surprised to hear the Model 2 on the north end of Canyon City activate as well. Canyon City (county seat of Grant County, population about 800) also had a Screamer, but it has disappeared from its pole. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oytx9-Fd3G8

[Rheems1]

I absolutley love it.... what a clean, crisp sound that thing has!! The pick up on it is fabulous as well...thank you for sharing that!!

[kswx29]

Nice and crisp! Wow, a Model 2 heard over a mile away...thats crazy.
I have family that lives in Canyon City, what type of sirens do they have there (besides the Model 2)

[Daniel]

Nice and crisp! Wow, a Model 2 heard over a mile away...thats crazy.
I have family that lives in Canyon City, what type of sirens do they have there (besides the Model 2)

Canyon City is, well, in a canyon. It runs north and south, so the sound from the siren is funneled north to John Day. Over the downtown section, there is a post on the side of the hill that used to have a Screamer on it, but it was taken down in the last couple of years. The only siren I could find is this Model 2 near the high school.

This appears to be the only siren in John Day. In other nearby towns: Prairie City has a Model 5, Mount Vernon has a Sterling M-5 (plus an empty platform on the fire station for a Model 2/5 size siren), and Dayville has two Model A's mounted to a bracket and facing opposite directions. Not to confuse things, but in Oregon there is also a Canyonville (near Roseburg), which has the same type of "paint can" siren as John Day.