Jackson County's tornado sirens

[MattDean1003]

I got to encounter the first tornado warning I've ever been in, besides the short activation in Winder, with sirens today. I was terrified when they sounded because I've never heard them before until now. They sounded 6 or 7 times in about a two hour time period. The video has several transitions in it because I had to figure out how to set my camera to the low quality to take longer video. Folks, here's the most terrifying sound I've ever heard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwSujNTgv0U

You are hearing Whelen Vortex sirens and I actually heard 3 or 4 sirens winding up. Never had any idea that those sirens, even from several miles away, were that loud. My first siren video. The tornado passed within miles of my home.

[coyoteunknown]

I got to encounter the first tornado warning I've ever been in, besides the short activation in Winder, with sirens today. I was terrified when they sounded because I've never heard them before until now. They sounded 6 or 7 times in about a two hour time period. The video has several transitions in it because I had to figure out how to set my camera to the low quality to take longer video. Folks, here's the most terrifying sound I've ever heard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwSujNTgv0U

You are hearing Whelen Vortex sirens and I actually heard 3 or 4 sirens winding up. Never had any idea that those sirens, even from several miles away, were that loud. My first siren video. The tornado passed within miles of my home.

They sound exactly like the Whelen Vortex sirens in Judsonia, Arkansas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFi5HckXWJM

I wonder if yours also have the wind deflector attachment?

Here's a photo of what I'm talking about. From my understanding, the older Vortex sirens had a belt driven rotator mechanism. So my assumption would be that the wind deflector was to help it out, as it was no longer available on gear driven rotators.



Call me crazy, but I find sirens so relaxing and soothing. I could listen to that Wail signal 24/7.

[bwillcox]

Everyone who hates Whelens has never heard them fired up for the real thing.
They are loud, 129 dB at 100 feet.

That wail is creepy, especially since you know what it means Almost but not quite as creepy as the EOWS*612 wail.

If they are like here, the sirens aren't run at full tilt for tests, but are let loose for warnings.

I saw the tornado warnings with a big hook echo and nice velocity couplet on GRLevel3 and was hoping and praying the tornado would miss you, and I'm very glad to know that it did.

-b-

[MattDean1003]

I can honestly say that even after recording them, looking at them, taking pictures of them and listening to them on our website and on youtube, hearing that Vortex fire up for a tornado warning was the most terrifying thing I have ever heard. With my tv on, surround sound on, and dishwasher running, I heard it whilst walking through the house. I even heard it while I was in the bathroom washing my hands and while my dryer was drying my clothes for work. I can't get the sound out of my head now. Yeah they sound awesome online and awesome for the tests. But, when you live out in the middle of bumble flip Egypt, with nothing around you but open fields and trees, and that siren goes echoing across the landscape as lightning sullenly flashes and thunder softly rolls, you see it all in a different perspective, as you watch the clouds in the area of the tornado getting darker by the minute. What if this happens while I am sleeping at night? It'll never wake me up. Call me a scaredy cat or call me crazy, but I can do without hearing that sound again for a while. It's all fun and games until the emergency is there with you.