Warning systems are crucial to our survival as a species. Indeed, we have evolved to quickly detect signs of danger and take the necessary actions to evade or confront it. Fear is a prime example of this. We suddenly feel threatened and afraid. We go into flight or flight mode to survive. It is not cowardice but a biological tool to prolong our lifespan, passed on from generation to generation through genes. Pain is another form of warning that can be physically felt. We only have a certain amount of tolerance, after which we stop an activity to protect our body. Communities can also have artificial evacuation siren systems to protect the population.
Military Strikes and Natural Disasters
These are usually put in place in areas that have known vulnerabilities. For example, many of them were installed during World War II to alert the people about impending military strikes. Nowadays, they are more commonly used in response to natural disasters. Rivers that are known to swell and causing massive flooding are rigorously monitored by local authorities. Once they reach a certain water level, alarms are sounded to warn those who live nearby. There could be several warnings corresponding to rising waters. The final alarm usually means a forced evacuation. These systems may also be present in communities that are prone to wild fires. Even if the flames don’t reach the homes, the thick smoke may be enough to trigger an evacuation.
Types of Sirens
The warning system needs to be loud enough for the people to hear it clearly despite noise coming elsewhere. In the past, communities depended on large horn instruments. These were simple to use but they had limited range and volume. Improvements in technology led to the pneumatic sirens which are still present to this day. Air goes up a tube and causes a loud sound to be produced as it exists the holes. A disk spins to cut the sound into pulses instead of one continuous push. Today, most of these have been replaced by electronic systems that use speakers aimed at different directions.
Different Signals
Audible signals are similar to human languages. They will only become effective tools for communication if both parties understand what the signals mean. Thus, the public must be educated regarding the meaning of the sounds that they will hear. This knowledge will allow them to respond wisely to the danger.
Reliability
These evacuation siren systems will be rarely used. If the community is lucky, then a year can pass without needing to evacuate. However, they should be reliable enough to work when they are called upon to warn the people. Time is of the essence in these cases. If it is faulty, then the danger might already strike before the repairs are finished. Get a system from a trusted manufacturer. Maintain and test it as advised.
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