Article content

CALGARY — In an age when citizens are as likely to follow Twitter or watch Netflix than listen to the radio or watch the nightly TV news, the city of Calgary is implementing an age-old method to alert people of danger: air raid sirens.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Calgary's Cold War solution to warning citizens about the next flood: air raid sirens Back to video

Canada once had 1,700 sirens to warn citizens of a pending bomb attack, activated at will by the prime minister. Installed in the 1960s during the Cold War, most were removed in the ’90s, deemed expensive and no longer necessary.

But after last year’s debilitating floods, both Calgary and High River decided they needed a better way to alert citizens of floods, fires, tornadoes, derailments and other dangers. Officials decided the oldest solutions may be the best ones.

“Remember the old air raid sirens that used to be on buildings?” asked Calgary Fire Chief Bruce Burrell. “We’re actually going to start putting them back on the tops of fire stations because, depending on what channel you’re on on your TV, you won’t always get Alberta Emergency alerts.”