Listen carefully—that's eight short blasts. I asked a NorthWestern Energy worker what catastrophe would trigger such a warning. Dam failure, he said. Of course. This was on Ryan Island just downstream of Ryan Dam. (Ed Kemmick/Last Best News)
It doesn't have to be a failure, sometimes just opening a spillway is enough to flood certain islands. I've seen a video (probably Tom Scott, but not sure) of a dam where the spillway is opened every day to show tourists what the downstream river looked like before it was constructed.
I know what you're thinking: "Did he hear eight blasts or only seven?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being as you're supposed to evacuate the area, you've got to ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?
The place where I work has an emergency alert public address system. I heard them test it once. It sounded a bit like the first part of the tripod sound from War of the Worlds:
What is this for? I think it says NorthWestern Energy but am not sure. If that's right, maybe it is under a dam's spillway and they use eight short blasts to announce a release of water?
37 Comments
BigMoe@lemmy.zip · 46 pts · 2y
Found this explanation,quoted from the writer:
Listen carefully—that's eight short blasts. I asked a NorthWestern Energy worker what catastrophe would trigger such a warning. Dam failure, he said. Of course. This was on Ryan Island just downstream of Ryan Dam. (Ed Kemmick/Last Best News)
anarchy79@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 2y
Though if you hear seven or nine blasts, definitely stick around for the barbecue!
rtxn@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
It doesn't have to be a failure, sometimes just opening a spillway is enough to flood certain islands. I've seen a video (probably Tom Scott, but not sure) of a dam where the spillway is opened every day to show tourists what the downstream river looked like before it was constructed.
shootwhatsmyname@lemm.ee · 37 pts · 2y
i would probably notice halfway in and panic because i wasn't counting
TurnItOff_OnAgain@lemmy.world · 59 pts · 2y
I know what you're thinking: "Did he hear eight blasts or only seven?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being as you're supposed to evacuate the area, you've got to ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?
Donkter@lemmy.world · 31 pts · 2y
Pretty sure 7 blasts isn't the "all clear nothing's wrong here" signal
PixxlMan@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 2y
7 blasts and one in the middle which is 3/4 the length means you're good to go!
Rozz@lemmy.sdf.org · 3 pts · 2y
What was seven or nine!?
anarchy79@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
That's twelve, time for lunch!
ChlorineAddict@lemmy.world · 32 pts · 2y
Over the years I’ve collectively heard six short blasts. Two more blasts and I’ll have the full set and need to start evacuating.
NABDad@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 2y
The place where I work has an emergency alert public address system. I heard them test it once. It sounded a bit like the first part of the tripod sound from War of the Worlds:
https://youtu.be/jzY099ihULs
I think it wouldn't take more than a couple blasts from that before I'd evacuate something.
kautau@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 2y
One of the creepiest real things like this that exists is Chicago’s tornado warning siren
https://youtu.be/LnkMSmLc6mM
Land_Strider@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
EMISSION IMMINENT. TAKE SHELTER, STALKERS!
Snowpix@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 2y
Unfortunately they don't use the "Alternate Wail" signal in the video anymore. A few years back they switched to standard Wail.
Something_Complex@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
Those are different sirens, but the sounds are attempting to harmonize
cosmicrose@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 2y
So anyway, I started blasting
Metal_Zealot@lemmy.ml · 15 pts · 2y
WARNING: BEWARE WITH CAUTION
bleistift2@feddit.de · 12 pts · 2y
While we’re all wondering what happens at 7 or 9 short blasts, I’m asking how a blast could even be long.
wandermind@sopuli.xyz · 18 pts · 2y
Short blast: BANG!
Long blast: BAAAAAANG!
Hope that helps
bulwark@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 2y
7 means 50% off at Golden Corral. 9 means thermonuclear missile imminent.
PowerGloveSoBad@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 2y
The dramatic tension would be better if we reverse them
Daxtron2@startrek.website · 2 pts · 2y
Nuclear explosion sounds are pretty long
anarchy79@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
I'm kind of worried what they mean by "blasts"..
Vorticity@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 2y
What is this for? I think it says NorthWestern Energy but am not sure. If that's right, maybe it is under a dam's spillway and they use eight short blasts to announce a release of water?
MataVatnik@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
Dam failure according to another comment
anarchy79@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
Tiger cage failure.
xia@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 2y
8? Are there other codes for 7 & 9, that we need to be counting? What if we were sleeping and unsure of how many blasts we heard? :)
DreamySweet@ani.social · 3 pts · 2y
Evacuate anyway just to be safe.
TheMightyKracken@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 2y
Look outside to see if your neighbors are running.
Kolanaki@yiffit.net · 1 pts · 2y
If this was a ship, yeah there are other codes.
This being an island, though, I have no idea. Are islands treated the same as sailing vessels? 🤔
groucho@lemmy.sdf.org · 2 pts · 2y
They're a motherfucker to steer?
Blackout@kbin.social · 4 pts · 2y
Whenever Im in this situation I just float up to around 1000ft and wait for all the screaming to stop before coming back down.
Froyn@kbin.social · 3 pts · 2y
Homelander?
Nougat@kbin.social · 3 pts · 2y
Pretty sure I would be running on blast 2.
Kase@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
Where are you running to? It's an island
E: Nevermind, I'm an idiot. You're probably running to a boat or something lol. Have a nice day
Nougat@kbin.social · 3 pts · 2y
Nope, just in small circles.
anarchy79@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
Why? There's plenty of time. If there was any danger at two blasts, they would have said so! You can hang out for a bit longer no worries.