# Civic Matters > Suburban & Other OK Communities > Midwest City/Del City >  Del City  bond issue

## Redskin 70

So I saw on the news that Del City has called a  3 mill bond issue to purchase new fire trucks and to replace all their storm sirens.

An old bond is  ritiring so they are going for a new one

The report said they have only 3 trucks and the newest is a 1999 and they will increas the size of their fire fleet  from 3 to 5 and two new brush rigs, in addition the storm sirens are  from the 50's and 60's

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## Thunder

I approve the purchases.

Also, does anyone know if they will build a new fountain at the fire department / community center?  They destroyed the old one without remodeling it.

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## Redskin 70

what.........114 views and no political pundits wit.................Im shocked I say shocked

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## Thunder

Yeah, people on here need to start discussing this.

http://www.koco.com/news/28230153/detail.html

Don't forget to vote YES on July 12th!

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## bombermwc

I don't think anyone would argue against letting a new bond purchase these things...they are in the best interests of everyone in DC.

A fountain though....uh who cares? It was just as ugly as the buildings behind it.

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## Redskin 70

there will be no new fountain at the  Community  center..that puppy is gone  and never to return. 
 Oh and I have now read the bond proposal..........they cant use the money for ANYTHING other than what is being voted on.  Talk about accountability

I like the new storm sirens also...................they said some of them still have civil defense markings on them......now that is old

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## Thunder

Well, that is just pathetic for not adding a new fountain.

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## bombermwc

So you'd rather have a fountain than something that saves your life? Um, ok.

I've always wondered why Del City didn't hop on the federal wagon after May 3rd like MWC and OKC did and get the whole thing paid for.

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## Thunder

bombermwc, please do not twist it.  They can (and should have) add a fountain (replace some location) or somewhere there.  Lets see what we have here... They are adding sidewalks.  Landscaping.  There is a memorial.  It is obvious that a fountain be quite fitting and relaxing.  Plus its great, because the fire department is there and the fountain can be like a water symbol or something.

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## bombermwc

It's a water fountain. Whoopie. It doesn't really mean anything, and it's from the 50's...and was crappy to begin with.

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## Thunder

> It's a water fountain. Whoopie. It doesn't really mean anything, and it's from the 50's...and was crappy to begin with.


I'm not talking about the old fountain.  I'm talking about a new fountain.

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## woodyrr

> . . . I like the new storm sirens also...................they said some of them still have civil defense markings on them......now that is old


The oldest sirens in Del City's system are two Federal Signal Thunderbolt 1000T sirens located at I-40 and Sunnylane and at about SE 31st and Sunnylane. Del City's Thunderbolts were installed in 1974. The newest siren is a Federal Signal Eclipse 8 which is located at SE 20th and Pybas Ln. The Eclipse was installed in 2005.

This is an example of a Thunderbolt. This siren was part of Norman, OK's outdoor warning system. This siren was installed in 1973.


My Federal Signal Thunderbolt Siren Before Removal by woodyrr, on Flickr

The last test of the siren shown above before it was taken out of service. [turn down your speakers!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDaiV-x7i1Q

There is some discussion among outdoor warning siren enthusiasts about Del City's system here:

http://airraidsirens.com/forums/view...?p=92686#92686

I am neutral on the issue. The newer electronic outdoor warning sirens can be louder in decibel ratings than mechanical sirens, however, they are limited in lower frequency reproduction due to concerns about blowing the speaker drivers. Consequently, electronic sirens do not produce the penetrating, attention getting signal of a mechanical siren. On the other hand, some parts for the older sirens are difficult to find making maintenance a challenge.

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## Thunder

I love that siren.  There is another one at the cemetery.

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## bombermwc

Well it was a lot more difficult to get an omnidirectional siren out of the old ones, but yeah they sure got your attention ( i think better than the new ones ). But the new ones are supposed to be more easily controlled on an individual basis. The theory there is that you don't have to have the whole city go off at once....even though OKC has yet to turn that feature on and DC is too small to even need it). Not to mention they can give verbal alerts as well....not that anyone uses that feature.

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## Redskin 70

/http://www.newsok.com/del-city-residents-to-vote-on-two-3-million-bond-issues/article/3582980

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## woodyrr

I met my friend Dillon at the Thunderbolt siren at I-40 and Sunnylane today for the weekly test. Dillon shot the video below.

I can see, or rather hear, why Del City is wanting to replace this siren at least. The unsteady pitch is due probably to tarnished collector rings or collector ring brushes and / or worn chopper motor brushes. When originally installed in 1974, this siren was a dual tone unit. The chopper and chopper cap have been recently replaced as is evidenced by the lighter shade of yellow on the chopper cap. The chopper was also replaced by a single tone chopper. Since the erratic pitch issue was not able to be successfully addressed when the chopper was replaced, it is evident that this siren is ready for retirement for sure.

Del City Thunderbolt with retrofitted single tone chopper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8YoC4rHDwM

My Thunderbolt with dual tone chopper before it was taken out of service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDaiV-x7i1Q

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## Thunder

Weekly? When did they stop the daily noon?

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## woodyrr

To the best of my knowledge, and I've been around since the first sirens were installed, Del City has never tested daily at noon.

They used to test on Wednesdays at noon until the central Oklahoma emergency managers got together and hashed out a more or less uniform testing policy that set the test day as Saturday at noon at least once per month.

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## Thunder

> To the best of my knowledge, and I've been around since the first sirens were installed, Del City has never tested daily at noon.
> 
> They used to test on Wednesdays at noon until the central Oklahoma emergency managers got together and hashed out a more or less uniform testing policy that set the test day as Saturday at noon at least once per month.


Interesting.  I've grown up in Del City practically almost my entire life.  I am 100% confident it was every day at noon unless cloudy.  Even most recently, about two or three years ago, the doggy would always howl every day at noon...exactly same time as the test...every day. :-)

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## easternobserver

I've been here for 9 years and it always was Wednesday and Saturday at noon, but recently they have stopped on Wednesday.  OKC or Tinker or someone still tests on Wednesdays though.

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## bombermwc

Thunder, Tinker used to do it every day at noon. But, um, aren't you deaf? Not meant to be rude, just clarifying.

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## Thunder

> Thunder, Tinker used to do it every day at noon. But, um, aren't you deaf? Not meant to be rude, just clarifying.


I wasn't always deaf?  Why does being deaf now means I was deaf all my life?  :-/ 

It was so loud every day at noon, because it was coming from the awesome cemetery siren.

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## bombermwc

Well some people are born that way...didn't know if you had something happen. Not prodding, just curious.

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## Redskin 70

Well, reading the paper today I see it passed over whelmingly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,like 80% for each prop.

Good job Del CIty.........still moving forward from the era of political disfuncton................

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## Thunder

> Well, reading the paper today I see it passed over whelmingly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,like 80% for each prop.
> 
> Good job Del CIty.........still moving forward from the era of political disfuncton................


Yesterday was a very bad day, so I forgot all about voting.

Can someone take pix of the cemetery siren ASAP (immediately) before a piece of history is destroyed? I think it should be added to the May 3rd memorial/museum, cuz it worked nonstop on that day saving many lives.

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## Redskin 70

> Yesterday was a very bad day, so I forgot all about voting.
> 
> Can someone take pix of the cemetery siren ASAP (immediately) before a piece of history is destroyed?* I think it should be added to the May 3rd memorial/museum*, cuz it worked nonstop on that day saving many lives.


now THAT is an excellent idea..................placed on a pole at the Tornado memorial on sooner........non functioning but with a plaquecommemoraterate that siren and that event....linkage...............I likeAnybody knowdyknow anybody they could contact with that Idea??????????????

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## Thunder

> now THAT is an excellent idea..................placed on a pole at the Tornado memorial on sooner........non functioning but with a plaquecommemoraterate that siren and that event....linkage...............I likeAnybody knowdyknow anybody they could contact with that Idea??????????????


I'm sure someone with contacts with the city can try to get this done.  This is a piece of history and should never be thrown away.

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## bombermwc

Just give the city manager a call. He'll have to be involved in doing the work anyway....or call the mayor. The mayor would have to ask the manager anyway though since the manager is the one that does the actual work...lol. 

That is a good idea though. These suckers might be old, but they worked their littke WWII tails off on May 3rd and many times since then to help keep us safe.

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## mmonroe

AGREED!   :Congrats: 

----edit----

Just emailed the City of Del City.  Lets see what happens.

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## Thunder

http://www.cityofdelcity.com/

http://www.cityofdelcity.com/contact.htm
The form there to send an email.

City of Del City
3701 SE 15th Street
Del City, Ok. 73115

Phone: 405-677-5741
Fax: 405-671-2807

Main Email:
iinfo@cityofdelcity.com

Economic Development:
econ@cityofdelcity.com 

I don't know what mmonroe used.

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## Thunder

> ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
> <iinfo@cityofdelcity.com>
>     (reason: 550 5.1.1 <iinfo@cityofdelcity.com> recipient rejected)


Looks like Del City using a fake email address. :-(

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## mmonroe

Actually, I used the the contact form on their contact us page, which had an error, but I used the email address that is info@cityofdelcity.com  that's info, with 1 "i".

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## Redskin 70

Man, you guys all over this.................let me know if you get a reply back

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## Thunder

> Actually, I used the the contact form on their contact us page, which had an error, but I used the email address that is info@cityofdelcity.com  that's info, with 1 "i".


I didn't realize that! :-O

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## Thunder

I started this. :-D

Here is a response.




> Thank you for the comments.
> 
> I think this a superb idea to further  commemorate and honor those who lost their lives and those of us who survived that day.
> 
> 
> 
> We will work to make this happen
> 
> 
> ...


His email is medwards@cityofdelcity.com so get to emailing him your vote, but I think he will be doing this anyway.  Yay!!!

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## mmonroe

Mr. Monroe,

That is one of our oldest sirens dating to the cold war era.  Certainly it has a long list of memories associated with it.

At first thought I consider your  suggestion to have great merit, not only to preserve an antiquated piece of another era, but also to commemorate an event that is  stuck in all our memories

I would be more than glad to proceed with this suggestion.  This suggestion has great significant merit that I think our council will appreciate the symbolism of.


Mark A Edwards
City Manager,
3701 SE 15th
Del City Oklahoma
405-670-7301

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## Thunder

You got a longer response than I did, but together, we saved a piece of history.  Now that is something to celebrate tonight.

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## woodyrr

Congratulations folks!

As an air raid siren enthusiast, I am very happy to hear the positive response that you received from the City Manager relative to preserving the Federal Signal Thunderbolt located at the Cemetery.

If posters on the Mid-Del forum haven't guessed by now, I purchased the former Norman Thunderbolt shown above from the installation vendor and am preserving it as a static display for myself.

If the City of Del City would like to use the artwork that I created replicating the original decals in their restoration efforts, they are welcome to it.


Blinding Yellow Thunderbolt Siren by woodyrr, on Flickr


Early 1970s Thunderbolt Siren Decal Artwork by woodyrr, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3921318...7625311045099/

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## Thunder

Awesome!  Its sure is a beauty!  I wish these are still in production, at least the appearance, with advanced parts.  The sirens made now are not even close to being iconic.  I encourage others to keep watch for the iconic sirens in other cities in hope of an opportunity to preserve history.

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## woodyrr

> Can someone take pix of the cemetery siren ASAP (immediately) before a piece of history is destroyed? I think it should be added to the May 3rd memorial/museum, cuz it worked nonstop on that day saving many lives.


Here is a photo taken today of the Thunderbolt siren at Sunnylane Cemetery.


Del City, OK Federal Signal Thunderbolt Siren by woodyrr, on Flickr

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## Thunder

Its so beautiful!

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## Redskin 70

> Congratulations folks!
> 
> As an air raid siren enthusiast, I am very happy to hear the positive response that you received from the City Manager relative to preserving the Federal Signal Thunderbolt located at the Cemetery.
> 
> If posters on the Mid-Del forum haven't guessed by now, I purchased the former Norman Thunderbolt shown above from the installation vendor and am preserving it as a static display for myself.
> 
> If the City of Del City would like to use the artwork that I created replicating the original decals in their restoration efforts, they are welcome to it.
> 
> 
> ...


where would those decals go?
I went to look at the siren  yesterday and it is really faded.....................

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## woodyrr

> where would those decals go?
> I went to look at the siren  yesterday and it is really faded.....................


Here is a picture of a former Detroit, MI Thunderbolt that was restored by an enthusiast showing the decal placement.

This siren has the newer F-S decals applied to Thunderbolts manufactured during the very late 1970s until about 1990-1991 when the Thunderbolt was discontinued. It appears to me that the Del City Thunderbolts have the "intertwined" 1970s decal pictured above. Additionally, The Detroit siren has a large circular decal on the end of the blower box cover under the vent that I don't recognize and this decal is not part of a factory Thunderbolt decal package.



My thunderbolt 1000T by EL1998P71, on Flickr




> Awesome!  Its sure is a beauty!  I wish these are still in production, at least the appearance, with advanced parts.  The sirens made now are not even close to being iconic.


One of the greatest strengths of the Thunderbolt over other sirens of its time is that it has a blower to supply a constant supply of low pressure air to the chopper. Other sirens have an impeller integral to the chopper which draws air into the chopper as it spins. On the wind down, the air flow would decrease resulting in a decrease in sound volume. The Thunderbolt was first and foremost an "air raid" siren designed to warn of an enemy attack. The standard signal for an attack is a three minute rising and falling sound. This is accomplished by the timer in the siren turning the chopper on for eight seconds and then off for four seconds. The constant supply of air from the blower ensured that the siren maintained full volume throughout the attack warning signal cycle. Since the signal used for natural disasters is the "alert" signal which is a three minute steady blast, full volume on the wind down is not as essential, so mechanical sirens produced today have reverted to the chopper with integrated impeller.

The huge drawback to the Thunderbolts, is that while made from the highest quality components, they are very complicated. Although extremely reliable during their service lives, as the Thunderbolts age, they have become subject to frequent failures and replacement parts are very difficult to find.

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## Thunder

We have positive feedback.




> Just a quick update.
> I had an opportunity  last evening to present this  idea to the entire council for consideration during City Manger  updates
> Although it was not an official agenda item for approval it certainly was treated positively by the council.
> Thank you again for submitting such a good idea to preserve our history.

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## mmonroe

> We have positive feedback.


got the same email as well.

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## bombermwc

I'm glad they are receiving it so well!

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## woodyrr

I wanted to follow up on the siren part off this thread with a photo of the head of my restored Federal Signal Thunderbolt 1000T air raid siren.

I hope Del City is still interested in displaying one of theirs


The Head of my Restored Federal Signal Thunderbolt 1000T Air Raid Siren by woodyrr, on Flickr

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## woodyrr

It looks like the new sirens have been ordered and installation scheduled.

http://npaper-wehaa.com/eastword/201...rticle=1563607

I couldn't find out what if any outdoor warning siren manufacturer Total Radio represents.

If I had to guess, the new sirens will be Whelen WPS series:

http://outdoor.whelen.com/2900.htm

They could be Federal Signal Modulators, however.

http://www.federalsignal-indust.com/...=4&lookup=2392

Of the two, I much prefer Whelen. the Modulators are much too high pitched.

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## DCEAGLE

> It looks like the new sirens have been ordered and installation scheduled.
> 
> http://npaper-wehaa.com/eastword/201...rticle=1563607
> 
> .


Link wont work tried it multiple times still didn't work.

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## woodyrr

Try a google search for eastword del city sirens. It should be the first link returned.

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## DCEAGLE

> Try a google search for eastword del city sirens. It should be the first link returned.


Yea I found it.  Cant Wait to see the new sirens go up. Anyone here know if the city still plans to do anything with the old one on Sunnylane

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## woodyrr

The new Del City sirens have been installed. I was surprised to see that the City went with Acoustic Technologies Inc. instead of Whelen or Federal Signal or even American Signal. The citizens of Del City will just have to determine if they like them and if they are reliable.


Del Crest ATI by woodyrr, on Flickr

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## woodyrr

Del City has begun to install the software for the siren controllers for the new system. Audible testing should start sometime today.

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## Plutonic Panda

> The new Del City sirens have been installed. I was surprised to see that the City went with Acoustic Technologies Inc. instead of Whelen or Federal Signal or even American Signal. The citizens of Del City will just have to determine if they like them and if they are reliable.
> 
> 
> Del Crest ATI by woodyrr, on Flickr


How much does a siren like that cost?

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## woodyrr

A lot of factors go into pricing a warning system: Siren type and options; power source; computer programming for testing and activation; whether there are radio warning receivers for public buildings, schools and hospitals; and whether existing sirens must be disposed of among other things.

I Don't know about ATI sirens, but Norman, Oklahoma's Whelen system cost about $1.2 million for 67 solar powered top of the line sirens for a per site cost of about $18000.00.

Norman Whelen 2910 omnidirectional electronic voice and siren system.


Norman, OK Siren #6 at Brookhaven Park by woodyrr, on Flickr

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## Plutonic Panda

Wow...

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## woodyrr

I hate to bump an old thread, but a contractor has begun removing the old sirens in Del City. I don't know if they made arrangements to keep one for the tornado memorial. The Thunderbolt at Sunnylane Cemetery is now gone.

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## woodyrr

Del City Thunderbolt Siren by woodyrr, on Flickr

It's not the Thunderbolt siren at Sunnylane Cemetery. That one, as well as all of the other "old" sirens except for this one, was removed last summer. I now understand from a representative of the company that did the removals: This Thunderbolt, which stands at about I-40 and Sunnylane Road was not removed so it can be used for for the display discussed in this thread. As soon as the City of Del City tells him they are ready, the company will remove it so the City can do whatever they plan to do to get it ready and then it will be installed as a display.

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