Outdoor Warning Siren Project

ZAYANTE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

Outdoor Warning Siren Project

The Zayante Fire Protection District utiilization of Outdoor Warning Sirens dates back to the 1940’s. Today, the refurbished Siren at Fire Station 1 is used to warn residents, visitors, and those passing through the fire district of an imminent need to evacuate.

The Outdoor Warning Siren concept is used throughout the United States to warn people outside of homes of impending danger from Tornado, Tsunami, Wildfire and Hazardous Materials releases.

In September 2023, Fire Chief Jeff Maxwell launched a campaign to raise funds to replace the failed Lompico Siren that dated back to 1942. Zayante Firefighters hosted a benefit concert at Felton Music Hall, conducted two open house events and raised over $8,000 from the community to aid in the project.

The Zayante Fire District has pursued funding through several cycles of the State Homeland Security Grant Program administered by the County. For Fiscal Year 2024, the district was awarded $49,839 for an outdoor warning siren, with the project approved locally in coordination with the Sheriff’s Office, County Fire, and County Public Health, and subsequently approved by CalOES and FEMA. The Board of Supervisors accepted the award on August 19, 2025, designating the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience (OR3) as the grant administrator. In addition, the County has requested a modification to the Fiscal Year 2023 grant to add $90,000 to the siren project, which has been pending CalOES and FEMA approval since spring.
 
The Zayante Fire Protection District has reserved $144,156 in funds over the last two years to secure additional Outdoor Warning Sirens. Each siren is expected to cost approximately $70,709. Grant funding is critical to project completion. Building a network of acoustic warning devices is just one tool in the Alert and Warning System. 
 
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The district has also applied for a $60,000 siren grant under the Fiscal Year 2025 cycle, but approval remains uncertain due to ongoing litigation that may limit the County’s participation in this cycle; if eligible, final approval is expected in late summer 2026.-

Once funding is accessible the Fire District will engage a contractor for installation of a new Outdoor Warning Siren(s) in Lompico.

Locating a Siren is a big decision. After evaluating (2) sound propogation models produced by the manufacturer Federal Signal Corporation, using a total of (4) locations, and in conjunction with ancedotal feedback from monthly siren testing since October of 2023 ; The District has recognized the sound altering impact of weather, temperature, humidity, wind, vegetation and topography. All factors affect the propogation of sound and siting a siren requires established access to property and electrical utilities. The Fire District is working with the San Lorenzo Valley Water District to co-locate a siren within existing property improvements at the Lewis Tank Site on West Drive. Additional site locations at the Kaski and Madrone Water Storage Tanks have been evaluated but are unsuitable. If financially feasible a second siren is targeted for fire station 2 at Lompico and Carrol Ave.

System Information & Sound Propagation Models

Acoustic Analysis
Sound Propagation Model
Sound Propagation Model Chart