Found this explanation,quoted from the writer:
Listen carefully—that's eight short blasts. I asked a NorthWestern Energy worker what catastrophe would trigger such a warning. Dam failure, he said. Of course. This was on Ryan Island just downstream of Ryan Dam. (Ed Kemmick/Last Best News)
46Though if you hear seven or nine blasts, definitely stick around for the barbecue!
9It doesn't have to be a failure, sometimes just opening a spillway is enough to flood certain islands. I've seen a video (probably Tom Scott, but not sure) of a dam where the spillway is opened every day to show tourists what the downstream river looked like before it was constructed.
1
i would probably notice halfway in and panic because i wasn't counting
33I know what you're thinking: "Did he hear eight blasts or only seven?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being as you're supposed to evacuate the area, you've got to ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?
54Pretty sure 7 blasts isn't the "all clear nothing's wrong here" signal
297 blasts and one in the middle which is 3/4 the length means you're good to go!
1
What was seven or nine!?
2That's twelve, time for lunch!
3
Over the years I’ve collectively heard six short blasts. Two more blasts and I’ll have the full set and need to start evacuating.
31The place where I work has an emergency alert public address system. I heard them test it once. It sounded a bit like the first part of the tripod sound from War of the Worlds:
I think it wouldn't take more than a couple blasts from that before I'd evacuate something.
22One of the creepiest real things like this that exists is Chicago’s tornado warning siren
17EMISSION IMMINENT. TAKE SHELTER, STALKERS!
4Those are different sirens, but the sounds are attempting to harmonize
2Unfortunately they don't use the "Alternate Wail" signal in the video anymore. A few years back they switched to standard Wail.
2
So anyway, I started blasting
19WARNING: BEWARE WITH CAUTION
15While we’re all wondering what happens at 7 or 9 short blasts, I’m asking how a blast could even be long.
10Short blast: BANG!
Long blast: BAAAAAANG!
Hope that helps
187 means 50% off at Golden Corral. 9 means thermonuclear missile imminent.
16The dramatic tension would be better if we reverse them
8
Nuclear explosion sounds are pretty long
2I'm kind of worried what they mean by "blasts"..
1
What is this for? I think it says NorthWestern Energy but am not sure. If that's right, maybe it is under a dam's spillway and they use eight short blasts to announce a release of water?
5Dam failure according to another comment
2Tiger cage failure.
2
8? Are there other codes for 7 & 9, that we need to be counting? What if we were sleeping and unsure of how many blasts we heard? :)
4Evacuate anyway just to be safe.
3Look outside to see if your neighbors are running.
1If this was a ship, yeah there are other codes.
This being an island, though, I have no idea. Are islands treated the same as sailing vessels? 🤔
1They're a motherfucker to steer?
2
Whenever Im in this situation I just float up to around 1000ft and wait for all the screaming to stop before coming back down.
4Homelander?
3
Pretty sure I would be running on blast 2.
3Where are you running to? It's an island
E: Nevermind, I'm an idiot. You're probably running to a boat or something lol. Have a nice day
2Nope, just in small circles.
3
Why? There's plenty of time. If there was any danger at two blasts, they would have said so! You can hang out for a bit longer no worries.
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