When I first heard them, I was not sure what was going on. Should I run for cover? Should I run to higher ground? So I asked a guy walking down the street what the sirens were all about. He looked at me, almost in disbelief that I would ask such a question and said "Those are the air raid sirens... If you hear them anytime other than Tuesday at noon, we're dead!" I laughed and thanked him for filling me in. Kind of a sobering thought. These sirens if heard on another day or at some other time could mean a disaster of some sort is about to happen or had already happened.
During World War II, fear of an impending attack from Japan was the norm. "Pearl Harbor was recently bombed so why wouldn't San Francisco," was the current thought. People knew it was a possibility. So our armed forces put up air raid sirens throughout the city as a form of public defense to warn people of the possible air attacks.
During the Cold War, they only tested out the system on a monthly bases, but after the 9/11 attacks here in the US there was a need to engrave in our minds that something could and would happen at any moment. So the weekly raid sirens came back into affect. In case of an attack (from the sea, land or air, or a natural disaster like a tsunami or an earthquake) the sirens will be played to inform us on where to go for help or safety.
Luckily for me, since I've been here, it has always been... Just a test! And I hope it stays that way.
Here is a short documentary style video on the Tuesday Air Raid Sirens here in San Francisco. What other city do you know has weekly air raid sirens? A little gem that everyone hears but little acknowledge.
Enjoy.
The Tuesday Noon Siren from kris vala on Vimeo.
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