It’s a question local retired businessman Donald Willson is keen to have an answer for. Mr Willson has had a long history of involvement with the CFS, serving as president for about eight years and a volunteer with the Sevenhill Brigade since its inception.

Now living in Armagh, Mr Willson is concerned by the new CFS fire danger ratings and their implications and at the lack of a siren in the Clare township.

Sounding loudly, and frequently, during summer months, the siren was either loved or hated by residents but was decommissioned in October 2006, when the Clare CFS brigade moved to a new, purpose-built complex in New Road .

Volunteers are alerted by an efficient pager system and the CFS said the community did not need to hear the siren’s wail.

Since then there has been an outcry by some community members who believe the siren is essential as an early warning of impending disaster, but no organised effort has been mounted to get the siren back.

“It went through my mind if anything had been done about raising money for the fire siren, because I think it is so important for the community as an awareness raising tool,” Mr Willson said.

“I am not a great believer in the ‘catastrophic fire’ direction and I think the community could very well do with having the fire siren back.

“I have a lack of enthusiasm about the modern technology that is being used to scare the wits out of elderly people and which is very confusing.”

Mr Willson said he had approached the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council, which would be prepared to administer any funds raised.

He will contact CFS personnel to ascertain the proposed cost of reinstating the Clare siren and also the best place to have it reinstalled. “I am happy to try and drive this until it is up and running and would be more than happy to put in the first dollars for it.”

Mr Willson said he was keen to talk to service clubs or other local organisations willing to drive the fundraiser and hoped it would result in a public campaign for donations.

Northern Argus managing editor David Wright said the newspaper would be pleased to promote an appeal to fund the reinstatement of the siren.