The City's Warning Sirens Sure Do Work
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| Chris Dreiling |
| My good friend Chris, beloved pediatrician and amateur photographer, took this as the storm approached White Rock Lake. |
24 comment(s) / Post a Comment
Amateur, and lucky. Ran inside quickly after shot.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 8:35AMBetter lucky than good! Nice purple sky shot.
I live in Deep Ellum -- heard the second sirens, not the first. Thought, "uh, what?"
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:14AMNot in Dallas this week... but apparently my friends heard all 94 of those pyscho sirens since they were all sure to let me know how crazy it was.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:17AMI was standing in a covered breezeway during the earlier siren sounding hoping to get a lightning photo, but the best I got out of 300 shots were some lightning-illuminated clouds. Nice lucky shot, Dr. D.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:22AMI was in a covered breezeway during the first sirens hoping to get a good lightning photo, but only managed to get a few illuminated clouds out of 250 shots.
Nice lucky shot, Dr. D.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:25AMUgh, I heard them and freaked out, you screwed up Dallas. Those things aren't for precaution, they are for when lives are in imminent danger and people must take cover immediately. When you her sirens there should be an actual tornado in the vicinity or indications that one is about to form.
It's a cry wolf situation, next time all of us who grew up being told when you hear sirens bad stuff is happening, not the storm is pretty bad, just a heads up and going to be so cautious.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:28AMFrom Dallas's own website:
The main purpose of the sirens is to warn individuals that are outdoors to seek immediate shelter. In the event of a Tornado Warning residents will hear a 3 to 5 minute steady signal of the sirens. [b]When you hear the sirens during bad weather, go indoors and seek shelter in the most interior room in your home or office. You should avoid the outside walls and windows. An interior bathroom, closet, or other room is generally the safest location.[/b] Cover yourself with pillows or get under heavy furniture for protection. If you have access to a radio or television, turn it on to a local channel to listen for essential emergency information. All local channels will interrupt programming to issue Tornado Warnings and advise you where the tornado is located. Please do not call local fire or police agencies to ask why the sirens are sounding unless immediate assistance is needed.
The operation of these sirens last night needs to be seriously reviewed, there were not operated properly this time and I fear that it could put lives in danger when they actually are needed if they continue to use them when their own protocols say they should not be used unless people should be taking cover immediately.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:35AMThe warning siren technician assigned to east Dallas apparently thought yesterday was a good day to start sniffing glue. There were no warnings when it hit, but he cranked it up to 11 at about the same time the storm was moving into Arkansas.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:36AM2 weeks ago I stopped for lunch at around 1:30 in North Irving (Vietnamese). Apparently, though I didn't know it at the time, this place is right next to a fire station. Anyway, 65 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, but i guess it was testing time for the sirens.
It was bad enough for the other 355 degrees of the rotation, but for those 5 degrees when the cone was facing the restaurant, I thought the Wrath of God was raining down upon the Earth. Seriously, the windows rattled just a bit. I literally had to bury my fingers in my ears to keep from jamming a fork down there.
I agree that those things should be reserved for real emergencies, not just precaution.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:50AMDr. D says:
Amateur, and lucky. Ran inside quickly after shot.
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If it was me I'd be changing my underwear Doc.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:50AMThe one at Bryan Adams went off like it was designed to at around 9:30 as the Tornado Warning was broadcast on TV. After the storm one closer went off and damn, it was LOUD.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 9:55AMThose sirens also will blare today at 12:00 noon, as they do every Wednesday at 12:00 noon. The sirens sounded at an appropriate hour and appropriately. We had some downed limbs that I must go trim. If anyone else had tree damage, call me 214 228 8994, that's my cell, Scott
That's crazy they fired off so late for some of you. They often sound off before Severe Thunderstorm Warning and Tornado Watches. I appreciate them doing that when a clear line of high winds and severe storms are coming through, if you WERE outside you'd sure appreciate the heads up.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 10:05AMMy beloved pediatrician needs to live by example and keep his tail in the house during lightening storms.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 10:11AMThe Big Guy personally endorses "I Love Pho", just north of Macarthur and LBJ
There is no fire station there, but there is a siren on the intersection of Macarthur and Ranchview
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 10:18AMThe Big Guy,
Ding Ding Ding. That's exactly where I was. That damn siren made my teeth chatter.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 10:52AMChannel 11 reported last night that the second (10:52) round of sirens was not a precaution. It was just an oops.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 11:28AMEverytime those sirens go off, the Mavs win big. We need more sirens during mavs games.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 11:33AMscott-
Are you sure it's every Wednesday? I thought it was only the first Wednesday of the month at noon. At least it's been that way since I was a kid.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 11:35AMYes CP, first Weds of the month. When you live near one you notice these things.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 11:44AMThere was rotation, so the first sirens were justified. But i was wondering why the second ones went off since everything had stopped by then. "Just an accident" isn't very reassuring.
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 1:13PM"Just an accident"?!?!?!
Just like that "accident" last year. Siren at Samuell Grand Park (Grand & Winston) went off one evening. No reason. I called 911 and was told someone had hacked in to the system and set them off. I wonder if that's what this "oops" was? Now THAT is scary!
And yes - systems are tested at noon every first Wednesday of the month. I find it reassuring to know that they still work; but then, I don't work right beside one. Ouch!
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 2:26PMWell all these comments help firm it up. It must have been a Wednesday, and at Noon. Time and place regardless, I hate those things. Even in the bright daylight, with people around, they made me feel spooky. When you wake up to these sounds, groggy and stupid, it's a whole new kind of "Goodbye Earth, it was good to know ya"....
Posted On: Wednesday, Feb. 11 2009 @ 8:39PM"Anonymous" above is me by the way. Damn this trikcy UP commenting contraption!
Posted On: Thursday, Feb. 12 2009 @ 8:15AMPretty soon people will give these sirens as much attention as car alarms if they going off when there's no danger.
Posted On: Friday, Feb. 13 2009 @ 11:15AM
