Although the Clare community has been given fair warning that it’s up to them whether or not they want a loud signal of possible disasters, the fire siren remains silent.

Sounding loudly, and frequently, during summer months the siren was either loved or hated by residents.

But when the Clare CFS brigade moved its operations to a new, purpose built facility on New Road, the siren was ceremonially sounded on October 17, 2006 before being disconnected and deemed redundant.

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 have been letters to the editor and discussions by Clare and Gilbert Valleys Councillors and the wider community regarding the need to reinstate the siren as a community disaster warning device. The Victorian bushfire experience in February this year also leant weight to the discussion, with the tragedy illustrating the need for prompt warnings to communities, to give them time to evacuate.

But Clare is the only town in the Horrocks Group CFS district, and possibly the whole of the council district, which does not have its own siren.

Almost three years ago, the Clare community was warned that if it wanted to hear the siren again it would have to band together to make it happen.

Clare CFS members have recently tested the old siren and found it to be in perfect working order, but it will remain in storage unless funds can be found to reinstate it.

Horrocks CFS Group officer Chris Sullivan said that if the siren were to be used again it would be left up to the CFS officer in charge on the day as to whether it would be sounded or not.

Mr Sullivan said the main issue was finding an appropriate site for the siren and then having the electronic connections to the CFS station so it could be used.

“We have the siren and we have the tower, but it will cost about $30,000 to have it reinstated,” he said.

Mr Sullivan said CFS volunteers did not need the siren to call them to duty any more, which made the siren’s reinstatement more of a community initiative.

He said the local CFS brigade did not have the funds available to put towards it but would support a community initiative.

“It would be a reassurance to the community and also a valuable warning.”

Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council chief executive officer Roy Blight said the matter had been discussed and he believed councillors would be sympathetic to a move to restore the warning device.

“This could become a partnership between the council, the community and the CFS to reactivate the siren,” he said.