The Siren Board

Went out yesterday to do more siren hunting in Newport News, and ended up getting a little more than I bargained for.

First, we have siren #73, located near the intersection of Old Courthouse Way and Oriana Road. This one was a new discovery while we were stopped at a nearby traffic light. It's an oddball 2906, which was unexpected. It's also unfortunately close in height and distance to some nearby apartments.



I have no clue what the 22A on the control box means, but I think it has something to do with my theory that some sirens were added later (especially since #73 makes no sense in what I think is a 71 siren system).



Next, we have siren #72 (again with the strange number - this one is label 21A), located at R. O. Nelson Elementary School. This is a stereotypical 2806.



Now, siren #15, located at Oliver C. Greenwood Elementary School. This one is a 2906 that replaced a Sentry 10V2T (thank you murrfarms for the info). It's also probably one of the sirens in the cacophony of wind-downs in my December test video.



Finally, siren #26, located at Sanford Elementary School. I filmed this siren in September, but neglected to get photos at the time (silly me).



That's all from this trip. There may be more soon, though...stay tuned.

I just wish I had some idea what that mysterious third box on top was about. Plano, TX's 4008s have them too. All I can think is that these units have specialized sensors of some sort on board and it's a space for those added by Whelen when the units were ordered. That's all I can think of.

Anyway, nice photos! Thanks for sharing.

Is it possible that the top number is the actual siren number, and the bottom number is a zone number for localized activation? Interesting nonetheless. I would also like to know what the top box is. You don't see that too often. Any techs on the board ever work on these in the field?

Brendan Ahern wrote:Is it possible that the top number is the actual siren number, and the bottom number is a zone number for localized activation?

I doubt it. Even in the wake of the large tornadoes in Driver and Gloucester (the latter of which knocked over or damaged the controls of two sirens), none of the municipalities here have expressed any interest in a siren system, much to my chagrin. As I've only seen the bottom numbers on these two sirens, both of which also have out of range numbers, I think it's more likely that these sirens were later additions to fill in coverage gaps, as unlikely as it seems with the 2806.

What did Surry have before these Whelens? When were they installed?

They had Sentrys until around 2007, when these Whelens were installed. murrfarms saw a 10V2T where siren #15 is around 2000 or 2001. Other than that, I have no documentation of them at the moment.

Could the extra top compartment possibly be storing an additional set of batteries, since these sirens are located in the vicinity of a power plant? Both doors (excluding the actual electronics section in the middle) look to be in the same height.

If I recall correctly from another member, there is also a power plant in Georgia(?) or around the neighboring states in which mostly consists of 3016s that had their front panels upgraded and their cabinets also feature a "top small door".

That's the Vogtle plant, downriver from Augusta. Comparing siren B21 there and siren #15 here yields a perfect match. Not only that, but every known siren with the extra compartment is or was on 440 hz.

I think the mystery has been solved.

Mysterious T-Bolt 111 wrote: If I recall correctly from another member, there is also a power plant in Georgia(?) or around the neighboring states in which mostly consists of 3016s that had their front panels upgraded and their cabinets also feature a "top small door".

GA Power's Vogtle Nuclear Power Generation Plant. 3016s and a 2020

VASirens -

The two numbers on the control box are nothing more than identification numbers for that particular siren. "22A" is identified in the Virginia Emergency Operations Plan Radiological Emergency Response Annex, Appendix B. The 73 is likely used by Dominion.

From the plan:

"22A Eastside of Old Courthouse Way, north of Denbigh Blvd. and south of Warwick Blvd. between the Gunbox and Millerhouse Square Apartments."