Mystery
Earlier this evening a strong thunderstorm plowed through Wilmington around 5:00. During the storm, after seeing out dark red blob covering Wilmington on the radar screen, I heard this strange siren that I have not heard before. I assumed it was a tornado siren, as you will hear me saying on the video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5HFDNuz_n4[/youtube]
Obviously, it wasn’t a tornado siren. But it is not a fire alarm. What is it? In the video, I am pointing the camera towards downtown Wilmington, although you can’t see the skyline because of the treeline.
That was really creepy. It reminded me a little of The X-Files.
I thought it was a tornado siren because I heard a similar siren out in Indiana once during a real live tornado. But we didn’t have a tornado warning today.
The scream of the live cow Ruthy was getting ready to eat for dinner?
No, this alarm does not sound every ten minutes.
wrong. that’s just so wrong.
I know. But sometimes my wit controls me.
I’m guessing a lightning detector newly installed on a nearby golf course?
That’s the exact time my DirecTV dish faded to darkness. Hmmmmmm.
I am pretty sure you were hearing the emergency siren for the nuclear plant. I used to hear it regularly when I worked in New Castle on the river. It is tested on a regular schedule, and may have coincidentally gone off at the same time the storm approached. It should not be audible at the distance you describe at anywhere near the volume on your video. Perhaps the approaching storm made the atmospheric conditions ideal to let the sound carry that far. On a lighter note, I agree with Dominique that it was creepy. I was thinking more “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” end-of-the-world creepy.
Yeah, I doubt it is Salem. It is just too far away, even as the bird flies.
Here is my educated <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULFhHR0OLSE”< guess
At least the pieces fit…….
guess
Geek, something is scrambling my code and your editor is off line, at least for me…. FYI
I Charlie Copeland still making what he made in 1987?
I doubt it.
Great post Kavips.
If you feel like applying pressure to the schism within the Republican party, or feel inclined to right an injustice perpetuatied by Copeland’s crowd, you can call Terry Spence and ask him to put that bill on the floor during Monday’s mad rush to midnight……
Mike Barbieri is hoping it stays bogged in committee so that Spence can be labled as was Copeland as a “slavery supporter”.
To call:
Speaker of the House
Representative Terry R. Spence (R)
Stratford Legislative District: 18
Legislative Hall Office Outside Office
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
302-744-4127
We’ll need a concerted push on this.
BTW – I don’t read Barbieri as that type of politician.
The siren was creepy, for sure. What is really creepy is that my little dog, who is deaf, was sitting next to my computer when I was listenening to it and it freaked her out. She jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.
I could be mistaken but I believe you were hearing the city of Wilmington’s ’emergency management’ siren. The city has any number of these things attached to poles (along with ‘red light’ & video cameras). The pathedic thing is you can barely hear them over the roar of a good storm. The most pathedic thing is ‘they’ can ‘announce information’ along w/the siren. You can’t understand the garbled message either.
The siren system is just another waste of taxpayer dollars. Ask the admin./council what is the ’emergency exit plan’ and you will get a blank stare.
I’m to the point I believe there is no plan. Just like those in New Orleans…we will be wondering around up on I-95. Those ‘in the know’ will be safely out of range (except for nuclear) conducting government business per ususal.
My friends and I tease (I hope it’s a joke) that some day the siren will howl w/o a storm and a voice will come on and say something to the effect: “Stay in your house until further notice. I repeat, stay in your house until further notice.”
The city control freaks have read and reread 1984 and they are the creators of a Big Brother system that few are aware exists. Much like Bushco and their ‘terror attacks’ the city has doubletalked the citizenry into believing it’s all about the criminal element in the city.
Never let it be forgotten that the National Guard patrolled Wilmington’s streets for NINE LONG MONTHS after Dr. King was assasinated….we know martial law, we have lived it.
Three hundred ten (310) cops and counting. Can someone locate info stating what the ratio of cops to citizens is the norm???
If these fools wanted change they would throw every ‘extra’ cent into pre natal and early childhood education and job creation. But, alas, elected greed and government graph prohibits any real change.
Definitely was NOT the Salem plant, as suggested many comments ago. I live east of Odessa and we get to experience those reminders of total meltdown every so often. It wasn’t activated.
Could it have been the UFO from the Brady Bunch episode where Greg was tricking Peter? Golly, Bobby! Porkchops and applesauce!!!
No Name :
You say My friends and I tease (I hope it’s a joke) that some day the siren will howl w/o a storm and a voice will come on and say something to the effect: “Stay in your house until further notice……
No, it is no joke. It’s called “Sheltering” , one of the options determined in the Emergency Evacuation plan in case of an accident at Salem.
But , don,t get me started
I live just north of the city (Bellfonte area)…I have heard that siren several times over the last few years…..
For lack of better info we have decided it was some sort of test alarm from Gander Hill prison.
Gotta tell you, the 1st time I heard it I recorded the date & time, I was sure something was going horribly wrong somewhere & I would read about it in the NJ….nope….nothing….
it’s the creepiest alarm I’ve ever heard….
I think it is the city’s emergency alert system.
Could be, but what use is it if no one knows what it is??….
Since we hear it, it would be nice to know what the emergency alert actually is….
Do folks in the city know what it is??
I lived in Little Italy for several years in the 90’s….(surrounded by lots of Wilm firefighters) & nothing of the sort was in place then…..