A maintenance team looks on as the pole for a new giant voice systems goes up March 7 at Royal Air Force Barford St. John, England. The giant voice serves as an early warning system when danger is eminent during natural disasters and wartime situations. The Airmen are from the 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron from Kapaun Air Station, Germany. They are travelling throughout the United Kingdom to upgrade voice systems. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Greg Bluethmann)
by Tech. Sgt. Greg Bluethmann
Detachment 4, Air Force News Agency
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNEWS) -- Airmen from the 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron at Kapaun Air Station, Germany, are installing giant voice systems throughout the United Kingdom.
The 'Giant Voice' is a 2,000-watt speaker that alerts people on base of danger, whether from natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
"Most people are probably familiar with the warbling tone or the steady tone that they hear when they do their Chem-Warfare training," said Master Sgt. James LeMaster the special maintenance team NCO in charge. This is the system that generates that tone, he said.
The team is working in nine locations in England to ensure bases have the giant voice capability to help communicate to base members warnings so they can take appropriate actions in case of danger.
"It became really self-evident when they had the bomb attacks in London a few years back, that they lost their giant voice capability," said Tech. Sgt. Russ McCleary an airfield systems technician. "So, we bought them new giant voice systems and we came out here to set the up."
The 1st CMS will be working in England throughout March.