At noon on every Tuesday, San Francisco’s Department Of Emergency Management (D.E.M.) tests a citywide air raid siren. People who aren’t brand new in town recognize the sound, and aren’t alarmed. The noise winds down after a few seconds, and not too long ago a voice recording was added to assure us it’s only a test.
Today’s test was weird, at least in the Civic Center area. I don’t know if the same thing happened all over the city. The test kept repeating. However, it wasn’t the steady wail we’ve been told to expect during a real emergency. That would have been scary, and if we ever hear the steady wail we’re supposed to turn on our radios and follow instructions.
Today’s siren test was wild. It gave off the predictable sound of the siren escalating and then fizzling out, but with several reruns. I never heard the voice recording, but it may have played.
If any of you know the explanation, please leave a comment. I’ll also take a look at the local news sites to see if they have any statements from the S.F. D.E.M.
