CALVERT, Texas (KRHD) — Long before text alerts or social media, the town of Calvert had one way to grab everyone's attention during an emergency—the community siren. Now, city leaders are working to bring that historic siren back to keep neighbors safe and informed.
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"I think any time you have the opportunity to alert somebody of something that's happening, that's a good thing," Calvert resident, David Viscarde said.
Next to the old Calvert City Hall, a siren blared from a tower to grab the town's attention. City Administrator Sergio Loya pointed to where the emergency alert system once stood.
"This is where it is. This is where it was before," Loya said. "At the top of the tower you see a little platform and that's where the siren stood."
Long before digital alerts, the community siren carried the message across town, alerting residents to fires, storms and other emergencies. The sound was unmistakable and incredibly powerful.
"Incredibly loud, very, very loud. We're talking hundreds of decibels," Loya said.
The siren served as both a timekeeper and emergency alert system for the community.
"When you hear the siren coming at 12 noon, we know it's 12 noon, but if you hear the siren at 3:30 in the afternoon or if you hear the siren at 5 o'clock in the morning, something is happening," Loya said.
Now, the city of Calvert hopes to bring that sound back following a recent disaster that highlighted the need for better emergency communication.
"The gist of this started in response to the incident and the flooding incident in Kerrville," Loya said. "We don't want that to happen here and we can't stop emergencies and incidents, but we certainly want to be able to alarm our citizens as quickly as possible."
Officials say they want to better protect residents while preserving a piece of Calvert's history.
"I think it'll keep people aware," Viscarde said. "It's good to keep the people informed. People like transparency."
For Loya, the siren represents more than just emergency preparedness—it's part of what makes Calvert special.
"It is part of our identity. It is part of our economy. It is part of the character that makes Calvert truly unique," Loya said.
Residents will have two ways to get alerts—by text message and through the siren. The city is already repairing the siren and expects it to be fully functional within the next month.
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