Only older people remember the times when sirens didn't just wail during fire brigade operations.
In the meantime, however, events such as floods, in the worst case even larger catastrophes or even wars, are forcing those responsible for security at federal, state and local level to rethink.
And so soon the unmistakable warning tones, as now also presented in the Fraunberg municipal council, are to be emitted by more modern technology.
Fraunberg expert Wolfgang Friedering from the Landshut company abel & käufl was therefore invited to a specialist lecture to provide information about future alarms by sirens.
"Probably from the third quarter of 2023, if everything works as planned, the integrated control center in Erding will be able to trigger digital sirens throughout the district if necessary.
That would then also be possible for Fraunberg, which has a total of ten sirens in its municipal area.
A stroke of luck, because some communities, such as Berglern, no longer have any," said Friedering.
In cooperation with the district fire inspection and the local fire brigades, a system is being set up that is completely based on digital alarms.
The control center can then control each individual siren via radio, and the specialist expects the implementation to take around a year.
So far, he and his team have checked the existing sirens in Fraunberg for their radio coverage and their respective sound wave emissions.
"In doing so," says Friedering, "we could clearly see that the existing sirens, mostly mounted on house roofs, have the classic all-round effect of a more or less large circle in the sound system.
However, with their shrill tones, they by no means reach all inhabited areas, they mainly cover the places".
With innovative siren systems, which can also be attached to masts or house walls, more far-reaching sound wave forms would also be possible, up to and including completely individual designs, depending on the location.
In this way, a larger warning tone coverage could be achieved in comparison to those well-known, mushroom-shaped sirens, also somewhat disrespectfully called "screaming mushrooms".
However, according to the expert, these conventional sirens could also be retrofitted with so-called modular siren control receivers and would thus be compatible with the new control center system.
Before any conversion and/or expansion measures are taken, there should be a meeting with the three fire brigades.
Because they, as local rescue services, are significantly affected by new forms of alerting and should also be able to give their valuable input.
"In addition," Mayor Hans Wiesmaier pointed out with audible resignation in his voice, "the funding pots for measures are probably empty again faster than we can submit applications for grants".
The Fraunberg Sirens:
Fraunberg, Schulstraße (will be dismantled);
Riding, Wartenberger Strasse;
Reichenkirchen, church square;
Grucking, Dorfstraße (will be dismantled);
slipway;
Lohkirchen;
Maria Thalheim, Dickenaustrasse;
Hinterbaumberg;
Oberbierbach and Rappoltskirchen.