Newest Siren

[Adam Pollak]

Hey thought I'd share this with you all. I have been working with the city of Ft. Lauderdale and Broward County on seeing what was going to happen with the city's old air raid siren that got transferred into county property when the county turned an old Burdines department store into the county government headquarters. Well, after a number of hurricanes the roof needed a lot of repairs and the thunderbolt on top was a source of a lot of leaks. So the roofers took it down and the building manager has been saving the siren for me for some months now in the parking lot right downtown. This morning I went and picked it up and it is now in my driveway on my mom's truck bed still. The siren is going to be non-operational, but will go on display in the city's historical museum.

[Gil]

Thats cool! I always wanted to be up close to one of those beasts!

Maybe someday i'll get lucky and own one.

[Towaladda124]

Awesome pic...they are frickin huge. Are you going to tear it down and recondition it?

[loudmouth]

hey atlest you got the right truck for the job looks like a big f-350
realy cool that there gona put it up for display and so every one can get a good look with out haveing to worry about blasting your ears off

[kx250rider]

Great job in getting hold of that siren! I bet it would have gone to the metal yard otherwise, and never be seen or appreciated again. You certainly put a lot of effort into chasing the right people on this one!

Did they grant you full ownership of this T-bolt? You mention that the plan is for it to wind up in the museum... Hopefully you will own it when in the museum, and therefore be able to go and play with it at will.

This is an inspiration to any and all of us who want to acquire, restore, and preserve. It proves that those who persevere can eventually win! Here in California, I keep fantasizing about trying to get one of the abandoned sirens... I have my eye on a few of them which are in construction zones. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, I'll be in the right place at the right time. Not to be a defeatist, but I don't think I'd have any luck with the City or County out here. If I get one of the Los Angeles Federals, it will fall into my hands when I happen to be around when one is coming down for property improvements, or gets knocked down in a traffic accident.

Seeing that thing getting heaved into your Mom's truck reminds me of when I was about 10, and I loaded a big heavy old 1949 RCA TV set into the trunk of my mother's Dodge Dart to be dragged home... She tolerated it, but wasn't pleased

Charles

[cdvtripleseven]

Adam, that is a perfect example of how long it can
take to get a siren. When did you first spot that
thing? 5 years ago? I remember when you first
emailed me about it. Keep that in mind those who
find an unused siren that is still up or in a city lot somewhere.
You have to walk a fine line of being persistent without
being annoying to whoever has the siren or sirens.
In the long run you might still end up with the thing.
I have been waiting on one for over 5 years now
that is still up on a pole. I hope to get the thing some day.
The last bunch of sirens I got took over a year of
random calls to the city purchasing agent but I finally
got them without having to mess with an auction.
I think I got around that because they had already
been through a city auction once and didn't sell.

[AllSafe]

Yep, it takes a lot to move one of those things...they are considerably heavier than they look.

[Gil]

Doesnt the head alone weigh around 450 pounds?

[Whelen Rules]

Adam, that is a perfect example of how long it can
take to get a siren. When did you first spot that
thing? 5 years ago? I remember when you first
emailed me about it. Keep that in mind those who
find an unused siren that is still up or in a city lot somewhere.
You have to walk a fine line of being persistent without
being annoying to whoever has the siren or sirens.
In the long run you might still end up with the thing.
I have been waiting on one for over 5 years now
that is still up on a pole. I hope to get the thing some day.
The last bunch of sirens I got took over a year of
random calls to the city purchasing agent but I finally
got them without having to mess with an auction.
I think I got around that because they had already
been through a city auction once and didn't sell.

Yes I have been trying to obtain several of our old ACA Alertronic 6000's for several years even when they were on the poles still the city would they were gotten rid of when the current sirens were installed. But i'll keep trying

[Nelso90]

Way to keep at it Adam! I had to deal with Burnsville for a Year-and-a-half for my Eagle Project, I know how you feel!
BTW, Your mom is pretty cool if she drives a truck like that! 8)