The Siren Board

Hey, just wondering if anybody knows if the model 5 in Rio Linda atop the Metro Fire station is still active? It looks quite rusty and not well maintained, so I'm not sure.

Your honest best bet is to ask someone local if the siren ever sounds. If it's atop a fire station, don't be afraid to knock on the door and ask the people there. In asking fire stations before, the people there have generally been more than happy to answer any questions.

As long as they aren't a private department... volunteer fire departments are usually more friendly because, well, they're maintained through a community effort. They're made up of the community, and their duty is to serve the community. Privately funded departments won't always be as nice... I was in Troy, NY filming their STH-10A (which failed) and a guy came up to me and basically told me to get out because apparently I was in a private parking space even though it didn't say anything about it. So maybe check if it's a volunteer fire department before you go knocking on their door about a rusty old chimney vent.

^this, most departments are friendly, but I've had my fair share of experience with firefighters not understanding the hobby. Calling them works great for me