Made by automobile manufacturer Chrysler during the fifties, this most epic of alarm clocks was powered by a 180 Horsepower V-8 Hemi engine and measured in at 12 feet long and 6 feet high. The engine powered air compressors which forced the air into the siren rotor and out through the 6 massive horns.
Measured at 138dB 100ft away, this is the most powerful siren to ever be produced. To put that into perspective, the average rock concert is usually between 110 and 120dB, and anything 140dB or louder can cause permanent damage, even with very short exposure. A single siren could be heard 30 miles away, and many cities had more than one installed.
These sirens were placed in high-population areas around the country in case of a nuclear attack so thankfully, and somewhat obviously, none of them were used other than for testing purposes. Many have either been moved to museums or left in their original locations, due to their size and the cost it would take to dismantle them. Aren’t you glad we now have Twitter for all of our important announcements?
