Federal Thunderbolt Siren

A large air-powered siren was installed in 1981 in response to emergency events at a Titan II complex near Little Rock, Arkansas. Some will be familiar with these sirens, as they are still used in many parts of the country to warn of severe weather. During the Cold War thousands of cities and towns were outfitted with similar sirens to warn of impending nuclear attack or an air raid (an attack by bomber aircraft). Many of these sirens were made by the Federal Signal Corporation.

The bright yellow "Thunderbolt" model was extremely loud, bordering on painful when heard from the complex, and could be heard very clearly more than a mile away. The siren was activated from a control box located in the LCC, and was tested every Friday at noon. The museum's Thunderbolt is still operational and is occasionally run for special events.

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