(Credit: Chalfont Fire Co.)
A malfunctioning fire siren at Chalfont Fire Company at 301 N. Main St. drew plenty of attention Wednesday after it became stuck at least twice during active daytime fire calls, sounding continuously for more than three minutes each time, according to neighbors.
The prolonged, single-tone siren quickly became a topic of conversation on local Facebook groups, where residents speculated about everything from weather tests to accidental activation. Maybe even angels sounding trumpets, heralding judgment? (Would you be surprised?)
"Standing at my back door thinking ... A test? A tornado? A snownado? It's a long one," wrote one neighbor on Facebook.
Some commenters said the sound was unusual compared to the department’s normal rising-and-falling alert, leading many to assume something had gone wrong.
"Oddly, it was a constant siren on one pitch, not the usual siren, that wails high and low. I assumed it was broken," wrote one neighbor.
"Maybe an emergency test for this 20" of snow this weekend," joked another neighbor.
Several residents said they ultimately concluded the siren had served its purpose by alerting volunteers and would be repaired afterward.
"Maybe they were trying to fix it?" wrote one commenter.
"It's the people who love the siren's fault," commented one resident. "Someone realized he was leaning on the button," wrote another.
As the discussion continued, many neighbors also voiced support for the volunteer fire company..
"How about we just support the firehouse and all the volunteers? We knew when we bought our homes that there was a siren. It will be fixed," commented one neighbor.
Commenters said the focus should remain on backing the firefighters who respond when emergencies arise.
"It sounds like they hit the siren for the emergency and it got stuck on. It got the volunteers where they needed to be, and they will fix it," wrote one supporter.
Fire Chief Nick Marino was contacted for comment regarding the siren malfunction and ongoing alarm maintenance.
The brief disruptions came on the heels of positive news for the Chalfont Fire Company, home of Blaze the Dalmatian and Stations 34 and 74.
On Wednesday, the department announced that its 2025 Santa Run collected 2,324 pounds of nonperishable food, valued at more than $4,500, to support families across Bucks County.
Fire officials thanked the community for its generosity, saying the donations helped feed and assist many residents throughout the region.
