The Siren Board

While watching various episodes of both shows, I've seen Federal SD-10s on both of them. It's not every episode, only once in awhile, but if you watch closely, you'll see them.

Just the other day I was watching "Adam-12", and they showed Adam-12 driving along a main street and there was a great shot of an SD-10 clear as day. The camera was focused on a commercial building as Adam-12 pulled up to it. There in front of the building was the siren.

The one that I saw on "Emergency!" was when Squad 51 and a Mayfair ambulance were enroute to Rampart Hospital, and the SD-10 could be seen in the background, along the street that the squad and ambulance were on, after they had passed it.

Both of the SD-10s had a work platform near the top of the pole for easy access for maintenance or repairs of the siren.

Here in the St. Louis area, "Adam-12" and "Emergency!" (as well as "Dragnet") are on the local Charter Cable tv system, on the MeTV channel (Memorable Entertainment), Monday thru Friday. I'm always watching out for sirens when I watch both shows. If you're able to access these shows on your cable system, maybe you'll see some sirens as well.

I have not seen any sirens on "Dragnet" yet.

That is cool, I have yet to see any sirens in Emergency! and I have only watched Adam-12 and Dragnet once.

All 3 (and more) of the shows are on Netflix as well. We have MeTV here too on cable and over the air with a digital converter box.

Those shows were both filmed in Los Angeles, which had a large number of SD-10's in use back in the 70's. That is probably why SD-10's were heard in parts of the early-80's television series, The Winds of War, which was set in England (where perfect-fourth sirens don't exist). They just recorded a local LA siren test.

you have a very good eye! I've watched many episodes of these shows for years and I have yet to see any sirens in either of them. Guess I just wasn't looking hard enough. I knew LA had sirens back then but it never occurred to me to actually look for them in either of these shows.

The SD-10 on "Emergency!" was luck on my part because it wasn't very noticeable. I almost missed it, that's how subtle it was. But when I saw it in the background, I instantly knew what it was. On the other hand, the SD-10 on "Adam-12" was as plain as the nose on your face! It was right there, bigger than life, as part of the scene.