As a tool partner once said "I'm from the Hall and I'm here to help."
I hope to help others here with their systems and benefit from their experiences.
The company I work for has the contract for the county. Since January I was thrown into disarray left behind by my two predecessors. Since January I've found countless incorrect fuses, insufficient amp hour batteries, improper bonding, and a total lack of correct sensor calibration. There's 134 sirens ranging from American Signal T-112, 121, 128 and a single T-135 as well as Federal Signal 2001-130 and Equinox with four more sites being added over this winter/spring.
The sites are controlled by an Acoustic Technologies Incorporated system.
Our "season" is from March to November. "Weather Events" aka tornadoes are the threat. During the season we test on the first Wednesday of the month for 3 minutes and twice on Tornado Awareness Week. A few of the sirens are used by volunteer fire departments linked to a secondary system which is not part of my responsibilities.
My twelve years as an Inside Wireman has covered everything from the power plant to the doorbell. Controls in power plants, the GM plant in Arlington, TX, municipal HVAC, research laboratories and simple lighting controls provided a fair foundation for DC systems.
Before my apprenticeship I was in the US Army, a mechanic for the US Cycling Team, a Microbiologist/Laboratory Technologist and bicycle racer.
When it comes to the sirens I'm most proud of two things: 100% system function since May and saving the County Emergency Management budget thousands in unneeded costs. For the first time in 23 years the sites all work at the same time. Understanding the system wasn't without difficulties. I spent a lot of time on the phone while on a ladder.
In the next months I'll be performing preventive maintenance (lubrication of rotor assemblies), replacing back-up communication batteries and updating the firmware on all 134 sites.
As I said, I'm here to help, and to learn.