New sirens being installed in St. Louis counnty

[uncommonsense]

According to the map I linked to above, looks like there's now a Phase III to add four more sirens.

They are at:

Campus of Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield (2906)
434 N. Sappington in Glendale (2906)
11804 Big Bend in Kirkwood (2910)
Fee Fee Rd 760' S of Natural Bridge (2910)

The locations in Glendale and Kirkwood are both fire stations and had Thunderbolts in the old system.

The locations listed above make sense as gap filler locations except the Glendale location. I realize its a dense residential area, but, there's a 2910 not half a mile from the proposed site of the 2906! I wonder why its not getting the coverage they expected--unless they're going to move it somewhere else. But I find that unlikely.

[FedTB]

I think there are even more gaps in the system than we're aware of. The proposed siren in Glendale trully doesn't make sense, I agree. There's another gap in coverage, I feel, between the siren located in a small park in Shrewsbury, the siren on Big Bend Road & Richmond Place at the Maplewood/Richmond Heights border, and the one next to Webster Groves Fire Station #1 (which is also the same spot where a 3016 used to be). Those are far distances between those 3 sirens, and there seems to be a gap in coverage in that particular area covered by those 3 sirens, IMHO. But yet they're going to stick a 2906 in Glendale a half-mile or so away from a 2910?! I don't understand that!

[uncommonsense]

So, as it turns out, the map is correct. I got to drive through Glendale today.

The 2910 at Lockwood and Sappington is still standing where it was.

Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/fiqVn

And indeed, half a mile away at the Glendale fire department now stands a 2906 (distance between sirens: http://goo.gl/maps/wVYUv)



This 2906 replaces a Thunderbolt 1000 that stood directly left of where I am.


Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/K7gr1

It still makes no sense to me why there are two rather loud Whelens so close to one another, but alas, there they are for all to look at.

[FedTB]

Yeah, I have to admit that I'm stumped as to why this new siren was installed only a half-mile away from a 2910! When I'm at work on the first Monday of the month during the 11AM siren test, I can hear several of the new 2910s from where I'm at, and they're all loud. I don't have a clue as to why "no one" could hear the 2910 at Lockwood and Sappington, causing the EMA to have to install the 2906 a short distance away. The topography is mostly flat, with an ever-so-slight incline. No hills there.

BTW, I was lucky enough to record that old Glendale T-Bolt 1000 about 6 or 7 years ago with my camcorder. Great old siren, and I sure miss not seeing it out front of the firehouse. As a firefighter myself, and friends with some of the Glendale firefighters, I was able to see the controls for this beast years ago inside of a closet located in the lounge (tv room) at the fire station. The cabinet was immaculate, and some lucky siren buff, hopefully, got a hold of it when the T-Bolt was taken down.

Actually, the T-Bolt was located directly to your right from where you took the photo of the 2906.

[FedTB]

I forgot to mention that when I'm at work on the first Monday of the month St. Louis County siren test, I'm very close to the City of St. Louis and one of their Whelen 2807 sirens. I have to say that the ambience of the high-pitched St. Louis County 2910s and lower-pitched St. Louis 2800s is kind of 2T22-ish. It's actually a very cool sound! If Whelen would release a new model, using a combination of 2800 and 2900 speakers in the same siren speaker array, they'd have a winner!

[uncommonsense]

Actually, the T-Bolt was located directly to your right from where you took the photo of the 2906.

Wow. Now I am challenged to identify left and right. I'm doomed!

I always wondered where the boxes for that old beast were! That explains it!

[dilloncarpenter]

If they used 2800 and 2900 speakers in the same siren it wouldn't matter. The tone is programmed in the controls. So if you have a 2800 head with a newer controller, you would have the high tone siren. Just like the ones in Yukon.

[FedTB]

Uncommonsense, do you know if the sirens that were damaged by lightning have been repaired?

Dilloncarpenter, I didn't realize that the tones are programmed in the controls. Duh! I didn't think of that. Thanks! Still, if Whelen could control some of the speakers to be high pitched and some low pitched in the same speaker array it would make a cool-sounding siren! Maybe call it a 2829??? I don't know.

I remember when the blower box for the Glendale T-Bolt was still CD Yellow. I hope the siren went to a good home!

[uncommonsense]

Uncommonsense, do you know if the sirens that were damaged by lightning have been repaired?

I remember when the blower box for the Glendale T-Bolt was still CD Yellow. I hope the siren went to a good home!

Yes. According to the map, all units are repaired and functioning while the two ruined units were replaced.

I lived close to the Glendale 'Bolt growing up, so it holds great memories. I also remember the many years the horn screen was broken and sat there flapping until it was replaced, about the same time the blower box was painted green.

[uncommonsense]

Update:

The final two units of the third expansion have been installed. Also, and more interestingly, public feedback has prompted the OEM to cut tests from 3 minutes to 1.

Source: http://m.ksdk.com/local/article?a=370197&f=1261