Severnside Sirens
The Severnside Sirens are a system of Civil defense sirens located along the South Severn Estuary coastline from Redcliffe Bay to Pilning, northwest of Bristol. They are activated by Avon and Somerset Police[1] in the event of a potential incident at one of the COMAH sites located in the area, mainly in and near Avonmouth.[2] The system was setup in 1997 following a fire[3] at the Albright and Wilson site in 1996.[4]
Severnside Sirens Trust[edit]
Severnside Sirens Trust Limited is the organisation responsible for maintaining the system. It is a registered company (number 3348008) and charity (number 1063224)[5] and was incorporated on 9 April 1997.[6] The trust's activities are funded by the 3 local authorities whose constituents the sirens serve, North Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, and South Gloucestershire Council, and from donations from the organisations running the COMAH sites themselves.
Sirens[edit]
The sirens themselves are mounted on dedicated poles and all but one[citation needed] are manufactured by the Federal Signal Corporation. Most of them are Federal Signal Modulators. They are operated via radio signal from a control system at Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters in Portishead.
| Designation | Location | Coordinates | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siren 1 "Bristol Water" | Shirehampton - in Lamplighters Marsh. | 51°29′04″N 2°41′03″W / 51.484522°N 2.684222°W | This siren is directional, with loudspeaker cones pointed across the river to Pill and towards Shirehampton proper. |
| Siren 2 "Ridingleaze Clinic" | Lawrence Weston - behind the Bristol City Children and Young People's Services building | 51°30′03″N 2°39′32″W / 51.500824°N 2.658872°W | |
| Siren 3 "Portishead Fire Station" | Portishead Fire Station car park | 51°29′11″N 2°46′06″W / 51.486291°N 2.768267°W | |
| Siren 4 "Bristol Port Company - Police Station" | Royal Portbury Dock next to the Port of Bristol Police Station | 51°29′23″N 2°43′12″W / 51.489605°N 2.720074°W | |
| Siren 5 "Bristol Port Company - West Town Gate" | Avonmouth, at the end of Victoria Road | 51°29′44″N 2°41′39″W / 51.495548°N 2.694250°W | |
| Siren 6 "Bristol Port Company - X Berth" | Royal Edward Dock - opposite St Andrews Road railway station | 1°30′45″N 2°41′52″W / 1.512590°N 2.697728°W | |
| Siren 7 "Former Sevalco Site, Chittening Road" | Chittening, towards the north end of Chittening Road | 51°31′55″N 2°40′24″W / 51.531813°N 2.673405°W | Located across the road from the site of the former Sevalco carbon black factory. |
| Siren 8 Govier Way (Royal Mail SWDC) | Outside Royal Mail South West Distribution Centre on Govier Way | 51°33′04″N 2°39′05″W / 51.551094°N 2.651395°W | |
| Siren 9 "BT Exchange, Pilning" | Pilning - by the telephone exchange building behind the Pilning Surgery | 51°33′51″N 2°38′29″W / 51.564183°N 2.641430°W | |
| Siren 10 "Hallen" | Hallen, In the vicinity of the Hallen Fuel Depot between the village and Henbury | 51°30′52″N 2°38′08″W / 51.514390°N 2.635454°W | Added to the system in 2013.[8] |
| Siren 11 "Redcliffe Bay" | Redcliffe Bay, on the Arqiva transmitting mast | 51°28′20″N 2°48′31″W / 51.472287°N 2.808737°W | This siren is directional. Added to the system in 2006 as a klaxon, replaced with a Federal Signal in 2019. |
| Siren 12 "Redcliffe Bay" | Redcliffe Bay | 51°28′30″N 2°48′44″W / 51.474966°N 2.812173°W | This siren is directional. Added to the system in 2006. Made by Klaxon, running on Federal Signal controller. |
Testing[edit]
The sirens are tested at 1500 on the 3rd of every month. The test comprises the following:[9]
- 3 minutes of the alert warning (a continuous, stepped, rising tone)
- 1 minute of silence
- 1 minute of the all clear siren (a continuous constant tone)
Local volunteers monitor the sirens on test day.[10]
| Videos of the sirens being tested | Video Links: |
|---|---|
| Siren 1 - Shirehampton, Lamplighters Marsh | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBIeYh30hCU |
| Siren 2 - Ridingleaze Clinic | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PirqOqzbkOc&t=2s |
| Siren 3 - Portishead Fire Station | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcuv84Fwues |
| Siren 4 - Bristol Port Company | No Videos |
| Siren 5 - BPC, West End Gate | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l84HapE7y4Y&t=52s |
| Siren 6 - BPC, X Berth | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgjRq5PCRyE&t=120s |
| Siren 7 - Chittening Road | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUuKEXp_RE&t=31s |
| Siren 8 - Govier Way, Royal Mail SWDC | No Videos |
| Siren 9 - Pilning, BT Exchange | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKxW8NYR9Dw&t=17s |
| Siren 10 - Hallen | No Videos |
| Siren 11 - Redcliffe Bay, Arqiva Mast | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SHCkm6n-rg&t=60s |
| Siren 12 - Redcliffe Bay | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Yi7GE7yes |
References[edit]
- ^ "SEVERNSIDE SIRENS TRUST Ltd Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2014" (PDF). Charities Commission. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "Severnside Sirens Safety Advice" (PDF). North Somerset Council. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "The Fire at Albright and Wilson, Avonmouth. 3rd October 1996". www.hse.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ Pickstock, Heather (8 August 2017). "There is a glitch with Bristol's emergency warning siren". bristolpost. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "Charity Details". beta.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "SEVERNSIDE SIRENS TRUST LIMITED - Overview". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "Severnside Siren System" (PDF). Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ "Emergency siren network expanded". 3 July 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "Hazardous Chemicals and Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) - bristol.gov.uk". www.bristol.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "SEVERNSIDE SIRENS TRUST LIMITED Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2018" (PDF). Charities Commission. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
External links[edit]
- Severnside Sirens Trust - the charitable organisation responsible for running the system