Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250060
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Typically, Salem is a pretty quiet town. But if you hang around long enough, you'll eventually hear a noise that could wake the dead.
Most newcomers find the sound hard to identify. But ask those who've been around long enough and they'll tell you, "Oh, that's just Ferdinand."
Ferdinand, the name given to Salem Rescue Squad's alert horn, has summoned crew members for more than half a century. Even after two-way radios and pagers came into use, Ferdinand has acted as a backup signal.
But the horn, named after the fictional peace-loving bull that wouldn't fight in the ring, could be blowing a lot less frequently as the rescue squad perfects its modern communication system.
The rescue squad has discussed the possibility of restricting the horn to the most severe emergencies, Rescue Squad Chief John Beach said.
Currently, two-way radios and pagers are used to call volunteer crew members to an emergency. Ferdinand is used when that system fails to generate enough response, especially to those members who may not be carrying their pagers.
"The feeling among the crew is that the horn may be better used by restricting it for extreme emergencies like disasters," Beach said.
If Ferdinand is restricted, it will be used only in events such as the flood of 1985 or the flooding experienced this past spring.
"Something that needs a lot of manpower on very short notice," he said.
First used shortly after the squad organized in 1932, Ferdinand has become more than just a loud horn. It is a landmark in the city, said City Manager Randy Smith, a lifetime member of the rescue squad who joined in 1965 and also served as captain for two years.
"It's gotten to be an institution," he said. "When [the rescue squad] started using the horn, they got a lot of complaints. But after some time, people got used to it."
The horn was mounted on top of the hose-drying tower at the old fire station on College Avenue, now the Salem School Administration offices. It is now on top of the No. 1 Fire Station on South Market Street.
With the push of a button, dispatchers at the Salem Police Department can blow the horn.
But, how loud is Ferdinand?
"It's deafening" when you're standing under it, Smith said. "It's like thunder over your head."
In fact, Ferdinand is so loud it has a warning signal to alert those standing near it. At first, the warning signal sounded like a whistle. But over the years it has come to sound more like a submerging submarine, Smith said.
After the warning, Ferdinand gives about a three-second blow. Then a pause. And then another blow.
"It sounds like a bull bellowing," said Smith, alluding to the origin of the horn's nickname.
Janice Augustine, librarian at the Salem Public Library across the street from Ferdinand, said she was talking on the phone last week when the horn was blown.
"They said, 'Do you have a cow in your library?'"
But, not many people actually have a problem with Ferdinand.
"I haven't seen anything obnoxious about it," said Teddy Helm, who lives in Floyd but operates a produce stand at the Farmer's Market in Salem. "Actually, it's pretty neat." Helm said he likes the fact that the horn lets the public know when there is an emergency.
"After a while, you get used to it," Augustine said.
Fortunately for Salem residents, Ferdinand normally is used only during the day. Crew members staff the rescue squad station at night, so there isn't much need for it, Smith said.
For now, Ferdinand will continue to be used as a backup to the more modern communication devices.
Beach said the squad won't restrict the use of Ferdinand until it is satisfied with the radio and paging system it now is using.
"There are some technical problems right now. We need to get those worked out," he said.
But if Ferdinand is silenced, you can be sure of one thing: It will be missed.
"I think it has served its time well," said Rescue Squad Captain Eddie Hite. "In its time, it was a very viable piece of equipment."
For those who miss hearing the horn, there will be some hope. A museum exhibit dedicated to rescue squad workers displays a blow-up photo and a recording of Ferdinand. The exhibit was at the Roanoke Valley History Museum but was moved last week to Tanglewood Mall.
by CNB