Stripped of their paint, the sirens remain hidden amongst palm trees and skyscrapers. have faded into the palimpsest of the city. Suffering from neglect, the sirens in L.A. Having no other purpose, sirens decay on top of poles throughout the city. In Los Angeles, a region quite effected by earthquakes, the analogy first established between the war and nature continues. Because of their continued use, sirens in other cities are often maintained, or replaced. Following the war, this connection to nature came full-circle as these siren systems were re-purposed in many areas of the country to warn people of weather related dangers (ex. With the immediacy of a missile attack, the use of such analogies eventually centered on earthquakes in order to communicate the unpredictability of a nuclear attack, and the difficulty of any advanced warning. Early analogies framed the destructive potential within familiar language related to natural disasters like hurricanes or tornadoes. While many countries eventually adopted more complex warning signals that incorporated a color coding, the most basic systems incorporated a simple two-part signal design:ĭuring the war, Civil Defense officials often used the analogy of natural disasters to understand and educate the public about the dangers associated with nuclear detonation. While defensive systems like the Nike Ajax and Hercules missiles had been developed to defend against such scenarios, with the introduction of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, such short range defenses not only became obsolete, but the window to warn entire populations dwindled to a matter of minutes. The attack signal means that an actual enemy attack against the United States has been detected, and that protective action should be taken immediately. Early warning and defense systems built as responses to bomber planes could spot potential threats hours before they were actually in the position to drop their bombs. The signal is a 3- to 5-minute wavering sound, or short blasts on whistles, horns of other devices. While the hypothetical image of nuclear war often followed from early bombing techniques of WWII, Cold War warning systems manufacturers had to contend with the development of military technology. Federal Signal is announcing service parts obsolescence of STH10 sirens that includes part number Q-BSA ((2)BRUSH, (4)SPRING ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT). Sales brochures often illustrate the efforts to make money, and the influence of previous warfare on the development of such warning systems. Although siren systems were typically controlled by local governments or police departments, the sirens were built by outside companies with a vested interest in increasing sales. Federally distributed pamphlets and films, aimed at educating both adults and children, would spread the word of what to do in case of an alert. The Civil Defense Siren was first conceived of during World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor, but the number of sirens and siren systems in most cities spread much more rapidly during the Cold War.
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