Re: Central Florida & Surrounding Siren Dicussion
Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 4:01 pm
Didn't you say that other siren you heard was an STH-10 at a local school that got taken down not too long after?murrfarms wrote:Ironically I just stumbled upon that very same newspaper article while digging around for information last night. A while back I actually read a much more recent article that talked about some kind of siren going off in the downtown area of either St. Petersburg or Tampa (I can't remember which one it was for sure), but I can't find it now. I doubt that the Thunderbolt is active anymore, however about six years ago when I recorded the one atop the Pinellas County Jail, I could have sworn I faintly heard another siren off to the south winding down once the jail siren shut off. As I said, I really doubt it was the downtown Thunderbolt that I heard but it's entirely possible since that siren appears to be pointing due north and has been for quite some time.Fletch wrote:Found an article from November 1980 which says that "air raid sirens will sound in St. Petersburg for one minute signaling a parade and a moment of silence" for Veteran's Day.
So, must have been more than one. What's weird is you can't see the T-Bolt on Bird's Eye view, but you can see the horn on Streetview.
On another note, the Port of Tampa has a siren system in place for warning both the port workers and any nearby residents of a hazardous situation at the port. The original system was comprised of a couple or so Whelen omnis, but they were replaced fairly recently with a new larger system of Modulators both at the port itself and in areas immediately surrounding the port.
As for the current status of that Thunderbolt on the municipal building in downtown St. Petersburg, I'm planning to take a drive over there and hopefully get some decent pictures of it while we're down there next week for our annual family vacation over in Treasure Island. If I have the time to do so, I may also try to squeeze in a trip to the Port of Tampa area and see if maybe I can grab an ambiance recording of their sirens being tested, provided that they do still test them daily like they used to.
HOWEVER, I am deciding to share something, I looked on the massive civil defense siren fund list someone made another topic about, Ocala had purchased one siren, and going by my dad's hazy memory and the list, it is an XT22 most likely, It was at a fire station that is now demolished(supposedly that is where) for a massive area re-working with roads and layout in general. Sadly there is NO sign of the XT22 and its status is unknown, but very grim. But It was clearly heard from his childhood home (My Gran's house), and My house is not all that far away either, meaning If on a perfect day, where I sit now typing this, I could've possibly heard it faintly at least! But Like I said, the siren's whereabouts are unknown entirely. But that model X very near to my house I never knew about(is a 30 minute trek) has high promise, will hopefully find info on if it is still active. 
But it is truly interesting finding tons of fire sirens now, all over Central Florida area, like coming finally out of the woodwork. Guess not that bad for the "Anti Siren State".