Review: Today's emergency warning siren test

The test of the emergency alarm system on the Cal campus Wednesday, July 2, was utterly sub-par. With an initial long ramp up and tone with no warning, it didn't even begin to rival the subtle intonations of previous sirens. Indeed, it completed without fanfare, only to be duplicated a few minutes later with announcement.

The announcement was also sub-par. While adequately robotic, the pacing was completely wrong and unbelievable. It could very well be a Commie up there, pretending to be a human initiating a test.

The second test siren was also truly a disappointment. One solid tone, with no undulation whatsoever.

The only redeeming feature of this entire performance were the three chirps leading up to and after the human (or robot) announcement - perfect pitch, pace, and intonation, as always.

Overall, this was the worst civil defense warning system test I've ever born witness to. Only time will tell if the operators can return to their previous stellar level of craftsmanship - for siren operation is not just a job, it's a passion.