| ← Back to Warning Sirens Content | Return to Index | → |
Warning Siren Terms
| Chopper The ring-shaped piece of metal with holes around the rim that helps give the siren its tone(s). |
| Intake The opening typically found at the bottom of the siren where air is sucked into the siren to help spin the Chopper |
| Blower A large, motor and belt-driven mechanism often housed in a large metal box that is basically the early equivalent of the Intake from later sirens |
| Rotator The mechanism that allows the siren head to turn using some form of a motor |
| Stator Slots generally at the back of the siren's head |
| Collector
Rings Metal rings used for brushes to ride on and generate electricity to the rest of the siren |
| Solenoids Block-shaped pieces of metal that slide on metal rods and block one or even both openings to the chopper, allowing for different siren tones |
| Intake Valve A large metal disk that opens and closes in response to Solenoids being activated. |
| Wail/Attack The rising and falling sound often heard during severe weather or during actual air raids |
| Alert The steady tone usually used for testing the siren and/or severe weather days. |
| Air Horn Siren sound that is similar to a car horn that ocurrs in short bursts |
| Hi-Lo Siren sound similar to emergency vehicle sirens in the UK that is generally used at fire stations |
| Hi-Lo Siren sound similar to emergency vehicle sirens in the UK that is generally used at fire stations |
| Alternating
Wail Siren sound that combines the Wail and Hi-Lo tones together |
| Best
Possible Protection Siren sound where the sound rises and falls similarly to the Wail, but is much faster and intends to project the sound further than it normally would |