Comments (17)

• Franklin Harris

  Oh, this is typical. Local Emergency Management Agency offices will turn on those sirens at the least provocation, including when storms are two counties away. Eventually, people learn to ignore the series, thus defeating the purpose of having them in the first place. Unless, of course, the purpose actually is to turn people into passive sheep who can't be bothered to turn on a TV or radio when it looks stormy outside.

  Published: April 11, 2007 9:51 PM

• Brent

  I imagine that "alarm" system works well. Just in case you didn't notice any news, weren't told by friends/family/employer, and didn't wonder why their was a mass exodus of people from town... the sirens will, I'm sure, certainly clue you in.

  Published: April 11, 2007 9:53 PM

• Angelo Mike

  I think hearing angry bureaucrats squirm for principled criticism of them is all the reward one needs for fighting the state.

  Published: April 11, 2007 10:37 PM

• Niels van der Linden

  Here in the Netherlands there is a nation-wide (!) alarm system. They test it once a month.

  It's supposedly for huge fires, floods, dangerous chemicals, terrorism (..) and longterm outtage of electricity gas and water.

  
  And ofcourse the advice is: go inside, close doors and windows, turn on radio and tv.

  
  So how is that supposed to help us? The government can't do anything; we know that. They are not preventing any of the before-mentioned problems and are only adding to it.

  
  It's so ridiculous..

  Published: April 12, 2007 5:00 AM

• David J. Heinrich

  There is certainly the problem of people ignoring alarm systems, which happens if they go off when there is no emergency.

  It's idiotic to test the system every month, with all there hearing and realizing that it's not sounding an emergency. It would seem that in a free market, they would "test" alarms quite briefly (just barely long enough to hear them, by those there to listen), and at odd hours of the night when no-one's awake.

  Published: April 12, 2007 9:03 AM

• Niels van der Linden

  The point of things like this is similar to the daily newsbroadcasts, that already in their intros show death, destruction and mayhem.

  Take away people's sense of safety and they will (willingly) give up their freedoms.

  Published: April 12, 2007 9:21 AM

• Person

  I live about a quarter mile from such a tower. It was actually in use recently due to heavy rain and a tornado warning.
  
  Guess I won't be posting for a while, until I can move about 50 miles =-(

  Published: April 12, 2007 10:00 AM

• Brad

  I don't know if this is sort of the same thing...

  My wife and I built a house a few years back, and not one mention was made about fire alarms. Why? Because it is already mandated. So in our modest 1700 sq ft house there are FOUR fire alarms, two within eight feet of each other, and another about TWELVE feet from there (it's tri-level and local code mandates an alarm on each floor, and there is one in the basement technically the fourth level).

  And so the builder in their wisdom put one at the apex of the vaulted ceiling right by the kitchen, so every time we boil a pot of water or have the oven hotter than 350*, the damn thing goes off. The only time it didn't is when we actually had a fire catch on the stove.

  So the lesson? We either take the batteries out, or ignore it when it goes off daily. So when there is a real problem, it will be dutifully ignored.

  The builder complied (and got a mark up on the alarms), the alarm companies make out like bandits, and the local thugs sit back all warm in the comfort of the Good Duties they've done for the masses. Meanwhile we live with such non-sense.

  Published: April 12, 2007 10:15 AM

• Niels van der Linden

  Protectionism for the win.

  Published: April 12, 2007 11:04 AM

• greg

  JT> ...if your town has a FEMA alarm, you must never ever criticize the government.
  

  You're not allowed to criticize them with a computer and an internet connection too, because Al Gore invented the internet.
  

  It is probably beyond the pale to use guvmint roads to drive to join a protest against a guvmint policy, since the guvmint made the roads.
  

  In fact, since the guvmint has its tentacles in every aspect of one's life, one must not criticize the guvmint ever, it would be ironic to do so. All good things flow from guvmint and taxation. I know because that's what they taught me in guvmint skools.
  

  r r skools failin us?

  Published: April 12, 2007 1:01 PM

• FEMA

  That's it, bucko! We are removing the speakers. See what happens when we are not around to save you.
  Regards,
  FEMA

  Published: April 12, 2007 3:05 PM

• James Dahlberg

  I agree that FEMA needs to be abolished. They should not be in control of this. State gov'ts should get involved though, with independent organizations.

  However, on the topic of alarm systems, there are people that do not have access to media. It is important to get the word out to them in the event of a serious disaster. We can afford to spend a thousand dollars or 2 per community. Let us focus on the real wastes.

  I hope nobody on this blog is seriously thinking that the private sector would have incentive to set up a siren.

  Published: April 12, 2007 5:22 PM

• James

  Your post would have been better if you had mentioned "Is our children learning?"

  Published: April 12, 2007 5:24 PM

• Kevin B.

  James D.,

  We can afford to spend a thousand dollars or 2 per community...I hope nobody on this blog is seriously thinking that the private sector would have incentive to set up a siren.

  If it's so damn cheap, then why don't you pay for it yourself or set up a charity?

  Published: April 12, 2007 5:52 PM

• Henry Miller

  If there was no government paying for this I would pay a private party to setup an alarm system of some sort to alert me to alarms.

  One of my first conditions is that except for the monthly test, it only go off when the emergency is likely to directly affect me.

  When it goes off for something 60 miles away, I start to ignore it. Then when there is a tornado 1 mile away, but clear bright sunny skies out my window I go about my business. (This situation did in fact happen when I was a kid, if our house has faced the other direction we would have seen the tornado)

  As for the test, it must not be in the middle of the night. One important part of these alarms is that they be loud enough to wake people up just in case there is an emergency while they are asleep

  Since emergencies are local issues, the siren should be local. The federal or even state government has no business getting involved.

  Published: April 12, 2007 7:49 PM

• George Gaskell

  If you don't appreciate the FEMA alarms, then the terrorists win.

  Published: April 13, 2007 11:38 AM

• George Gaskell

  Let us focus on the real wastes.

  Start your own blog, and focus on whatever you choose.

  I hope nobody on this blog is seriously thinking that the private sector would have incentive to set up a siren.

  If no one would voluntarily pay for sirens, then there is no need for sirens.

  QED.

  Published: April 13, 2007 11:45 AM