Air Raid Sirens of Los Angeles: A Scavenger Hunt

[@socalpaul487]

They used to test them the last Friday of the month at 10:00 am. As I recall, they tested them more recently to use them for earthquake warning, but nothing ever came of it.

[@OmegaHellHound543]

SoCalPaul they need to fix them and test them

[@dylbeentheplotagonistandra2811]

DJ Wolve and install new sirens where old ones were taken down

[@miloliss2484]

LA also has thunderbolt 1000s and 1000Ts, and the “flattened bird house” is called an HOR Siro drone.

[@OmegaHellHound543]

Milo and Charlie and a 2t22

[@Aegis2056]

The only HOR Siro drone I've ever seen didn't have the top part attached so it was just an exposed chopper, Thought that was interesting.

[@yoitsmoe967]

THUNDERBOLTS ARE HERE OMG I GOTTA LOOK FOR THEM THERE MY FAVORITE

[@ianssirenproductions]

They also have thunderbolt 2000s

[@keeyonass5127]

Yikes I detest THUNDERBOLTs every one of them on this planet. They're in Texas as well and other than Il snd Cali not sure where others are

[@dougr3142]

I grew up in Anaheim in the 1960s and there was one of those round, yellow sirens (an SD-10 I believe) near the corner of Brookhurst and Orange avenue, about a quarter mile from our house. They would test it once or twice a week in the late morning and it used to scare the hell out of me. I was 4 - 5 years old; if I was outside playing, I would run home and hide!

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Every time I mention making this video to anyone who grew up in and around the L.A. area they always have a story about hearing them as kids. I think they continued testing them right up through the late 80s

[@eblackadder3]

@The Time is Now I remember them around Anaheim and Buena Park. The sort of round yellow SD 10 sirens sitting on top of telephone poles.

[@nicodimatteo]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer this is how I can go on a scavenger hunt for the civil defense sirens in Los Angeles so what I do is I look up the air raid siren map, Dennis Hanley and then I just do the scavenger hunt on the Google map. It’s amazing especially I love all the SD10s

[@Joshtheweatherman]

This video needs MORE views! Awesome job finding these, not to mention, really good exercise! It’s sad that there inactive though. I like the professional editing too!

[@podcastfan2544]

The last one is almost hidden away I love these Air rais sirens as growing up they were subtle reminders of a time before I was boen snd most hardly know they're there. 😢

[@Logical_Chronical]

You're right. They are all over California. I'm from Fresno and they had many old sirens like that that were yellow.

[@frostyfotos260]

The #4 siren is an hor silo drone😊

[@ryanlewis6386]

I think someone should start a petition to bring back the Los Angeles siren system

[@kittenpaws1387]

Your best one yet! I looked it up, and there are none up here in Santa Clarita, but I will start looking for them when I come over the hill.

[@friedmanirit]

There are, there is an active system of P-15s used for prison escapes.

[@TheSleepyMechanic0524]

There is some in Buena Vista and a few others I can't think of

[@sirensandeaswarningschannl3465]

Hey I saw and touched the pole of that siren a 9:19 that siren is in good condition but all the power is out

[@NASHON200PING]

Sirens And EAS warnings channle You Are Right But That FS-SD10 Was Restored By The Athortees And Your Right They Cut The Power To The Sirens And That Siren Was Disconnected In 2002

[@HucksPopCultureCafe]

Not too shabby, mister! Man, you love walking. Great job, Doug.

[@amberlynn6914]

I’d like to point something out here. The siren sound clip at 1:21 is actually the correct sound for the high-tone version of the siren in the image. Nice going man Also: the “flattened birdhouse” sirens are wartime-era Federal Model 5s. They’re “flattened” as a result of wartime conservation efforts. These sirens were purchased by the city of Los Angeles. The 500s and SD-10s date back to 1954 at the latest, while the normal Model *7*s date back to 1952 at the earliest. --- If you do another one of these - I highly suggest driving - there are county owned sirens at Windsor Hills Elementary (Federal Thunderbolt “2000”, quasi-self-contained unit with a gasoline driven blower and batteries for the siren head, installed 1954), Fire Station 159 in Gardena (Federal Thunderbolt “1000T”, same as previous except externally powered using standard electricity), 1497 West Cameron in West Covina (same as previous, exact coordinates 34.0673635, -117.9420579 - set back from road, could be difficult to find), Curtis and Walnut Creek in West Covina (same as previous, about 250ft south of Walnut Creek), and atop Cerro Negro Point (Chrysler “Air Raid Siren”, loudest siren in the world to this day. Gas engine-driven - 331 Hemi, rated for 180hp)

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

I've gotten many great responses and suggestions based on this video and I am definitely going to do a second trip. Thank you so much for the additional information!

[@amberlynn6914]

Happy to help! If you’re lucky, the personnel at the fire station will light it off for you.

[@OmegaHellHound543]

The flattened birdhouse sirens are actually H.O.R SIRO drones

[@Mrbushbtalls837]

There Fedelcode Mach 7 after someone climbed one and said it was a Mach 7

[@dennishanley9103]

I really enjoyed this tour you took us on! I am looking forward to viewing your others. BTW, the first siren that you couldn't find is on Normandie Place, one block west of Normandie Ave. An easy mistake. I Have not been in the area for some time, so I don't know if it has been removed or not.

[@dennishanley9103]

After watching your "Air Raid Sirens Updated" video, I see that it is indeed gone... :-( Thanks for the all you efforts in making and sharing these great videos.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Glad you enjoyed it! As for the one at Normandie Place, just one more lost to the march of time.

[@dennishanley9103]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer Can I trouble you to contact me via email? dennis (at) wirechief.com

[@polandball7482]

2:50 4 is cut down model7

[@sirensofneohio3979]

Those "Flattened Birdhouses" are actaully Model 5s as well. FS had a shortage of materials, so they just made the housings much smaller. Also, those are 500-SHST's. They are single toned, not dual toned.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

I tried to doing some research on the 'flattened birdhouse' style and couldn't find much information, so thank you!

[@sirensofneohio3979]

No problem. If you have any other question, feel free to ask!

[@SoonerStateSirens1]

Joshua The SirenKid nah, motor housing is to tall

[@rpgiv3175]

Wow! Pretty cool. Also, all the sirens you went to see were from the cold war and were installed in the 1950s and very early 60s. There are however a few from ww2 that exist. Finally, here are the exact siren models: federal signal 500 SHTT (single head, 2 tone) federal signal SD 10, federal signal model 7 and 5, and finally, fedelcode model 5 short housing

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Thank you for the information Ray's World! Especially the specific siren types. I was aware that the sirens were put up throughout the cold war, just wasn't sure which ones. I'm working on a video specifically about the LA Air Raid and I will be sure to take this into account as i do more in depth research.

[@rpgiv3175]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer cool. The Chrysler air raid siren was the one installed in ww2. There are some still in place in California

[@nolongerused0000]

I found most of the sirens on a trip to meet my relatives

[@dylxnchn]

*I wish to acquire some later on. Preferably a SD-10, a Model 5 & a FS 500*

[@OmegaHellHound543]

Honey Subs I want the thunderbolt and the Chrysler

[@dylxnchn]

@@OmegaHellHound543 *good luck!!*

[@OmegaHellHound543]

Honey Subs I’m gonna need all the luck I can get, because Chrysler sirens are really hard to find. Hopefully I can get one. Thx for the support🙂

[@miguelfroml.a.9310]

Thanks for your video I saw those sirens but never find out until now On Wilshire Blvd just across the street of Starbucks on la Brea Blvd is one.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Yes, that's the one of Detroit street where the Metro station is going to be (or is depending on one reads this comment). I cover those in Siren Walk 2. Thank you for watching!

[@CYang-pe1sk]

7:55 I Looked at that SD-10 for a moment and It had some great paint

[@SOLDIER8O8]

i like the way the put SD 10 but have carter air raid sound

[@friedmanirit]

Great video! You did a fantastic job! A few small corrections: The models are: Federal 500-SH-TT (first generation), Federal Model 7T, Federal SD-10, and Short A Frame Federal Electric Model 5. 3 of the 4 types of sirens are dual tone (9/12 port, 3:4 ratio producing a perfect 4th interval). The Short A Frame Federal Electric Model 5 (Flattened Birdhouse) is single tone (8 port), and was installed in the 40s, while the other sirens were installed in the 50s. Also, fun fact. The 10th and 11th, and 13th sirens in your video were retrofitted with speakers to broadcast War Of The Worlds. The housings were refurbished by KC Restoration Inc. Here is a video of one of LA's 500-SH-TT's being run (by me). kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqqWpZhrZZZglas. And here is a video of a Chrysler Air Raid Siren being run (by me and another person): kzbin.info/www/bejne/aX-scqOPn6hkj7c This Chrysler siren is final version, with the American Blower Corp siren powered by a Chrysler Model 20A V8 Hemi engine.

[@imaginox9]

I've heard that Los Angeles still have one of these big old red Chrysler sirens that holds the record for the loudest air raid siren ever made ! But I have no idea whether it's still working or just standing there for historic purpose.

[@amberlynn6914]

The last one left to my knowledge is on Cerro Negro. It’s just rotting away.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

I was just at the The Great LA Air Raid event in Fort MacArthur and they had the red Chrysler air raid siren there. They set it off as part of the event. I was told that there are two or three left in the country. I'll be putting up a video sometime soon showing the siren and highlighting the event. Next year, if you get a chance, definitely check out the event.

[@imaginox9]

I saw a video of the 2016 LA Air Raid event and sounds like they used at that time manually cranked sirens, a recording of a SD10 siren (and fun fact, there was an actual SD10 siren standing on a pole in the middle of the crowd, just like the one shown in your video) and the Chrysler siren that was incredibly loud on the vid, so witnessing one going off in person should be an ear-blowing experience I guess !

[@amberlynn6914]

That’s right, Fort MacArthur has one in their possession. Duh, Jared. The last standing units are in Seattle (2), Kansas City MO (1), Greenville SC (1) and Rochester NY (1)

[@darryl211]

If you look on Google maps and bing maps look at a water tank site on Wilmington in Carson and you might see what looks like a Chrysler air raid siren. It's painted black. Unless they finally took it down

[@AsylumFreak19]

Omg I love air raid sirens!!!!

[@bodes_26]

i think the first siren (SD - 10) was actually just the next street down thats conveniently also called normandie

[@dwaltjj]

The 'missing' siren was indeed on Normandie Place. However, I've been to the area twice since the video just to make sure it is truly missing and have still not been able to find it. There is also another siren from the video which is now no longer in place, and that is the one behind the parking structure across from Disney Hall. They are doing construction there and have removed the siren (at least it looked that way) and I'm not sure if there are plans to return it once the work is done.

[@bodes_26]

@@dwaltjj ah well they must be cracking down on the removal of the old sirens because the SD - 10 was still in place as of 2017 or there is also construction on that sight on normandie as well

[@benjaminmendenhall3104]

Thanks for all this great information

[@sirensandeaswarningschannl3465]

That flat bird house is a h.o.r SIRO drone that siren company was in New York and than moved down to Phoenix Az. But later the siren company When t out of business

[@amberlynn6914]

Uh no. They’re short frame Fedelcodes, produced during the war to conserve materials.

[@dylxnchn]

@@amberlynn6914 *its definitely an HOR siro drone. Yall keep saying it's to conserve metal. What's the point in making sirens in the first place then if you want to conserve metal? Just listen to people and maybe it'll make sense. It's an HOR*

[@amberlynn6914]

@@dylxnchn Explain THIS to your God, then. Why would an HOR have a FEDELCODE tag? scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/9d209709996b4c443a4fd23df324f451/5E393B77/t51.2885-15/e35/51439659_384670082291084_5296270877256044325_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=108

[@arizonasirensandscrap9851]

@@amberlynn6914 No it's a H.O.R Siro Drone, it's not a way to conserve materials. Model 3's look close to it but it's not. There is a video on here that shows one of those sirens going off. And I know since I have seen the Id plate on it. And that picture is just a model 3. Not a H.O.R

[@Mrbushbtalls837]

@@arizonasirensandscrap9851 The flattened birdhouse sirens are actually Fedelcode Mach 7 because someone actually climbed one of them and confirmed they are Mach 7.

[@nicosmith4503]

I have one question why are they removing all the sirens in Los Angeles

[@tactiblox]

Fun fact L.A has a Federal signal 2T22 is looks mysterious and I wanna learn more.

[@friedmanirit]

There are multiple 2T22s. They are early 2T22s from the 50s and have GE motors.

[@tactiblox]

@@friedmaniritOh, thanks for the info man!

[@thebonnevilleof5933]

@@tactiblox montello Wisconsin fire department has a 3t22 and a model 3 right next to each other.

[@gabrielstravels]

There is only one 2T22 in Los Angeles and that's in Beverly Hills, precisely at the top of the Brentwood theatre building.

[@FM60260]

I've just been looking closer on street view at the one at 7:59 near the Disney concert hall and I've noticed the one that was there during this video is completely fake! The original one seems to have been removed by October 2017 and swapped with the fake one some time in 2018 which if you look closely has no air intake underneath. The fake one has now also been removed alongside the pole which makes me wonder why replace it with a mock up in the first place?

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

You're right! I just went back and checked out the photos I took with my still camera and I found that many of the sirens downtown no longer have their innards removed (I'm thinking these are called the motor and the stater?). They have a black fabric covering the area where the motor should be. They're just empty shells. I guess they removed the electrical moving parts and left the housing up just...... because.... it looks good? So, there's an answer to the question of whether or not these things will ever work if powered. For many of them: No. Good eye!

[@BDYT1422]

This is how many sd10 sirens are ther

[@carreraman8364]

The flattened birdhouse is actually called a Siro drone

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Many have commented on that. But I'm not sure I agree. I am working on a video right now to explain why. Till then, if you check out the HOR wiki I've linked they even mention that their sirens look similar so Federal Signal Co sirens. wiki.airraidsirens.net/HOR

[@carreraman8364]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer ok

[@Midwest_Sirens]

The first siren is a SD-10, Seconded is a H.O.R Siro Drone, Third is a Model 5 or 7, 4 is a SD-10, 5 is a SD-10, 6 is a 500-SHTT, 7 is a SD-10, 8 is a SD-10, 9 is a SD-10, 10 is a SD-10, 11 is a SD-10, 12 is a SD-10, 13 is a SD-10, 14 is a SD-10, 15 is a SD-10, 16 is a SD-10, 17 is a SD-10, 18 is a SD-10 so many SD-10s

[@FM60260]

Was the purple dot that was missed one of the original Chrysler sirens?

[@Midwest_Sirens]

2:51 those are only installed in LA there are at lest 100 deferent models of sirens. And the unknown is a H.O.R Siro Drone

[@friedmanirit]

No it's not. It's a short A frame Federal Electric Model 5. It's 8 port.

[@VirtualSimulations-Sirens1954B]

2:30, Federal Signal Model 5. 3:00, Federal Signal SD-10. 3:46, Sound Effect Taken Off Of A Federal Signal 500 SHTT.

[@loudoncountyrailfan9041]

How many SD-10's are there!?!?

[@theericfreeze1493]

I think the 4th siren is a ACA siren.

[@bodes_26]

Also wasnt there a 5th model used called the scream master or something

[@Rollerroadster]

That is a lot of sd10 sirens 🚨

[@sirensandaircraft9611]

There is a lot of SD-10s.

[@gradientgamer5480]

i wonder if there is more common sirens like the 2001 or the thunderbolt

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

I know there are some Thunderbolts in Los Angeles and they are on my list of things to see. Just not sure when I'll get to them. I know there's T1000 in Duarte and a 2001 close to Costa Mesa.

[@canadiannationalrailfanner2453]

1:47 google maps says its an sd-10 (2007 street view) yeah its gone

[@elstiffmeister]

I saw a SD-10 sire when I was close to downtown, btw 100th comment

[@StocktonSubber]

The 4th siren is an HOR Siro-Drone.

[@computerkatt]

It's actually a Federal Signal Model 3, they only used Federal Signal sirens (Besides the Mobil Directos and Christlers)

[@CYang-pe1sk]

Nope close it’s a fedelcode model 3

[@Mrbushbtalls837]

@@CYang-pe1sk There Mach 7 actually because someone climbed one of them and confirmed they are Mach 7

[@elstiffmeister]

If there was a thunderbolt siren

[@yoitsmoe967]

Im a proud LA resident :)

[@yoitsmoe967]

PS I saw two ACA Allerator 125 in culver city today :)

[@Mrbushbtalls837]

@@yoitsmoe967 Those are Mobil Directos

[@debbychristina1792]

I Found picture model 5 siren

[@sirenmn]

Good job!

[@dylxnchn]

*SD-10's are my favorite*

[@Benicio_Fols]

Thats a federal signal SD-10

[@simonastorga7924]

Mobil directo are my favorite

[@1000BT]

THOSE ARE TORNADO SIREns not air raid siren

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

In the Midwest they may be Tornado sirens, but here in Los Angeles they were used as Air Raid warning sirens in the late 40s and then Cold War missile defense sirens up till the late 80's. Not sure if any are still in use. One interesting bit of info though, Los Angeles does have many tornado like events each year, but most, if not all, are water spouts just off the coast.

[@jianntgniccolo3231]

WHAT FILIPINO TOWN THATS WHER I LIVE IN FILIPINES

[@willthetrill4849]

Wouldn’t you wanna make a petition on change.org to have the sirens reactivated for earthquake and weather warnings? That imo needs to be done

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

I'll look into it, but I think that there are some that still work, just not sure if there's any plan for them to be used in any emergency situation. I think people would be more confused than anything. Back in Nov 18' some were used for a city wide music event. www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-et-cam-lawrence-english-air-raid-siren-concert-20181107-story.html

[@OmegaHellHound543]

They do, it brings a tear to my eye, the fact that they’re just sitting there rotting.

[@noahandrewsandrews7830]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer yes please look into it we need to do something about these gorgeous sirens they're just sitting there rotting away we need to do something about it

[@gradientgamer5480]

2:29 a model 2 or a model 5

[@keeyonass5127]

Yikes what siren is this?

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Of which do you speak?

[@keeyonass5127]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer Uh thought it was yellow one with weird horn not Thunderbolt . It looks round with square in it.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

@@keeyonass5127 This was my first walk, so I had no I what I was looking at at the time, so take what I say in the video with a grain of salt. That being said, I believe you're talking about is the Federal Signal Corp 500 SH-TT which is yellow and looks like a box with a large horn sticking out of it.

[@keeyonass5127]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer oh ok. Wonder how loud or scary it is. There's so many up there I hear and that siren is not where I live. You pointed out many and I heard another girl looked at sirens in Cali all around but never noticed them when she drove around.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

@@keeyonass5127 I believe that there's around 200 WWII/Cold War sirens scattered about LA County. I like to joke that they're hidden in plane sight since once you know what to look for you tend to see them more often. The highest density of them are in the Silver Lake, Echo Park, Downtown area. The 500s and the 'flattened birdhouses' (what we've now determined to be cut down Model7s) are perhaps the rarest of the sirens. If you check out Walk 9, which takes place around Hyde Park, I visit 2 500s, one of which I found to be in really great condition. Check this link, and the Interactive Map there, to see where they're located: losangelesairraidsirens.com/

[@debbychristina1792]

It is a sd-10 siren

[@debbychristina1792]

SD-10 siren

[@ONBDSU1002]

Model 5 and Sd10 500t

[@Stephenloizos]

that was no weather balloon

[@tammywilkie9083]

2012 I was born

[@Diamond31pro]

2:04 did anyone notice that there might be a siren behind him

[@Diamond31pro]

The white tube above the yellow car

[@Diamond31pro]

I searched it up it does not look the same

[@Diamond31pro]

It looks like it’s on a chimney, good eye ;)

[@debbychristina1792]

1 SD-10 2 aca cyolene 3 model 5

[@connorcruz6249]

L.A. has never had cyclones, it's a H.O.R sirodrone

[@tammywilkie9083]

Also I’m 7

[@gradientgamer5480]

3:46 thunderbolt sound

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Yeah, this was my first foray into the world of sirens. I had no idea what I was looking at or how they sounded (not that I'm an expert now but I'm learning thanks to you guys) Thanks for pointing that out.

[@gradientgamer5480]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer do you know what date do the EAS (Emergency Alert System) tests the sirens

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Here in Los Angeles they no longer test the sirens. The only one I believe still being tested is a Federal Signal Model 7 (I think) on Catalina Island which is tested the last Friday of every month at noon. Just as the mainland one were up until 86 or so. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2ewZqGJmLyImrc So, the answer would be: I do not.

[@DayTrippingAdventurer]

Fourth Paragraph down they talk about the siren: www.catalinavacations.com/case-emergency

[@gradientgamer5480]

@@DayTrippingAdventurer i thought they test sirens for tornado warnings