Civil Defense Sirens In NJ

The history of the Civil Defense sirens in New Jersey is a complicated one. New Jersey has various urban centers such as Paterson, Newark, Trenton, Etc. In the 1950s, the large number of people in this area, along with a threat of nuclear war, caused these cities and many others to install what are known as Civil Defense sirens. This was a direct response to the threat of bombings from the Cold War.

Was a working CD siren up until the 90's. It was use for weather events after that up until the 2010's when it stopped working.	Was used as a CD siren until the 90's. Not sure what happened after that but it doesn't work anymore.	Was most likely used as a CD siren and is still used for flood warnings.
Is one of many of the Model 5Ts in Bergenfield NJ. This siren was used for an unknown amount of time before it was taken out of service.	Was used as a CD and fire siren until it was decommissioned.	Was a working CD siren up until the 90's.The siren was repainted. It was use for weather events after that up until the 2024 when it stopped working.
This siren was used as both a fire and CD siren until it was decommissioned by the FD due to costs.	This siren was installed in the 1930s as an air raid siren and fire siren on top of the Elementary School in Bloomingdale. It is still used as a fire siren.

CD Siren example in Hawthorne, NJ

A video of the H.O.R. Siro-Drone in Hawthorne sounding for a test. The video is by CD Sirens NJ

An example of a Civil Defense siren can be seen in the town of Hawthorne, New Jersey. This town still has one of its original H.O.R. Siro-Drones. This is a prime example of a Civil Defense siren because it follows everything that the Civil Defense standard set for it at the time it was installed. The siren still tests on Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. The siren is located on the roof of the Hawthorne High School and can be heard from Goffle Brook Park. The siren is not very loud (hearing protection is still recommended) and other sirens can be heard in the background.

The United States Office of Civil Defense list of Municipalities that have received funding for warning sirens by 1963

This is a transcribed list from the United States Office of Civil Defense government funding for Civil Defense sirens. Many of the sirens on this list are gone and removed and are unfortunately lost a history; however, some of them are still up It's a guessing game as to which siren got paid for via this fund. However, it can provide some useful information about which municipalities had Civil Defence sirens.

Allendale Boro - 4 100 dB Sirens

Anduton - 1 100 dB Siren - 1 105 dB Siren

Asbury Park - 4 105 dB Sirens

Atlantic City - 2 100 dB Sirens

Beachwood Twp - 1 110 dB Siren

Bellmawr - 3 105 dB Sirens

Bergenfield - 4 105 dB Sirens

Blairstown - 1 115 dB Siren

Bloomfield - 3 110 dB Sirens

Bloomingdale - 2 100 dB Sirens

Boonton - 3 100 dB Sirens

Bordentown- 2 105 dB Sirens

Brick Twp - 3 125 dB Sirens

Bridgeton - 8 100 dB Sirens

Burlington - 1 125 dB Siren

Butler - 2 100 dB Sirens

Camden - 5 125 dB Sirens - 2 135 dB Sirens

Cedar Grove Twp - 2 110 dB Sirens - 4 115 dB Sirens

Chatham Twp - 2 115 dB Sirens

Chester Boro - 3 100 dB Sirens - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

Clark - 1 110 dB Siren

Clifton - 8 115 dB Sirens

Collingswood - 1 110 dB Siren

Cresskill - 1 100 dB Siren - 1 110 dB Siren

Dunellen - 1 115 dB Siren

East Orange - 1 110 dB Siren - 8 115 dB Sirens

East Paterson - 2 105 dB Sirens

Egg Harbor Twp - 2 105 dB Sirens

Elizabeth 1 110 dB Siren - 9 125 dB Sirens

Emerson - Not Labeled On Document

Englewood - 1 110 dB Siren - 1 125 dB Siren

Englewood Cliffs - 1 100 dB Siren

Fairlawn - 2 100 dB Sirens - 1 105 dB Siren - 3 110 dB Sirens - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

Franklin - 1 125 dB Siren

Glen Rock - 3 100 dB Sirens

Guttenberg - 1 100 dB Siren

Haddon Heights - 4 100 dB Sirens

Haddon Twp - 2 105 dB Sirens

Hanover Twp (Whippany as well) - 2 115 dB Siren

Harrison - 7 110 dB Sirens

Harvey Cedars - 1 110 dB Siren

Haworth - 2 Unknown, most likely air horns

Hawthorne - 3 105 dB Sirens

Hillside - 1 105 dB Siren - 2 110 dB Sirens

Howell Twp - 6 100 dB Sirens

Irvington - 5 115 dB Sirens

Jersey City - 11 105 dB Sirens - 2 125 db Sirens

Lakewood - 1 115 dB Sirens

Lawrence Twp - 2 115 dB Sirens

Letanon - 2 100 dB Sirens

Lincoln Park - 2 100 dB Sirens

Little Falls - 3 100 dB Sirens

Long Branch - 1 105 dB Siren - 1 115 dB Siren

Mansfield - 1 110 dB Siren

Manville - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

Maplewood Twp - 1 100 dB Siren - 5 115 dB Siren

Matawan - 2 100 dB Siren

Maywood - 1 125 dB Siren - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

Merchantville - 1 105 dB Siren

Middlesex - 1 135 dB Siren

Middletown - 2 105 dB Sirens - 4 110 dB Sirens

Midland Park - 1 100 dB Siren

Millstone Twp - 1 105 dB Siren

Monaham Boro - 1 105 dB Siren

Montgomery Twp - 2 110 dB Sirens

Montville Twp - 6 Under 100 dB Sirens - 1 100 dB Siren - 1 105 dB Siren

Morris Twp - 5 100 dB Sirens

Morristown - 5 100 dB Sirens

Mount Holly - 1 110 dB Siren

Mt. Olive Twp - 5 100 dB Sirens

Nailington - 1 100 dB Siren

Netcong - 1 110 dB Siren

New Milford - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

New Providence - 1 105 dB Siren

Newark - 6 Under 100 dB Sirens - 1 105 dB Siren - 4 125 dB Sirens

North Arlington - 3 115 dB Sirens

North Bergen - 1 105 dB Siren

North Haledon - 1 Under 100 dB Siren

North Plainfield - 2 105 dB Sirens

Nutley - 1 110 dB Siren - 1 115 dB Siren

Oakland - 2 100 dB Sirens

Oaklyn - 2 100 dB Sirens - 1 105 dB Sirens

Ocean City - 2 100 dB Sirens

Ocean Twp - 2 110 dB Sirens

Palmyra - 2 100 dB Sirens

Park Ridge - 1 110 dB Siren

Passaic - 2 105 dB Sirens - 5 110 dB Sirens - 2 115 dB Sirens

Paterson - 3 Under 100 dB Sirens - 2 105 dB Sirens - 3 115 dB Sirens - 3 125 dB Sirens - 1 130 dB Siren

Pequannock - 1 100 dB Siren

Pine Hill - 1 115 dB Siren

Plainfield - 5 Under 100 dB Sirens - 1 100 dB Siren - 2 110 dB Sirens

Pohatcong - 1 110 dB Siren

Princeton - 1 105 dB Siren - 1 115 dB Siren

Rahway - 2 105 dB Sirens

Randolph Twp - 2 110 dB Sirens - 1 115 dB Siren

Raritan - 10 110 dB Sirens

Raritan Twp - 3 115 dB Sirens

Ridgewood - 6 110 dB Sirens

Riverdale - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

Roosevelt - 1 110 dB Sirens

Roseland Boro - 4 100 dB Sirens

Roselle - 2 105 dB Sirens

Roxbury Twp - 2 100 dB Sirens

Sayreville - 6 100 dB Sirens

Ship Bottom - 1 Unknown, most likely air horns

Somerdale - 1 110 dB Siren

South Plainfield - 3 110 dB Sirens

South River - 1 100 dB Siren - 1 115 db Siren

Spotswood - 2 100 dB Sirens - 1 115 db Siren

Springfield - 4 115 dB Sirens

Stanhope - 1 110 dB Siren

Trenton - 5 100 dB Sirens - 5 105 dB Sirens - 3 115 dB Sirens

Upper Saddle River - 1 105 dB Siren

Vineland - 4 105 dB Siren - 3 110 dB Sirens

Wanaque - 3 100 dB Sirens

Wantage - 2 110 dB Sirens

Warren Twp - 2 110 dB Sirens

Washington - 1 105 dB Siren

Wayne Twp - 1 110 dB Siren

West Deptford Twp - 3 115 dB Sirens

West Milford - 1 115 dB Siren

West Windsor Twp - 1 115 dB Siren

Woodcliff Lake - 2 100 dB Sirens

Wyckoff - 4 105 dB Sirens

Civil Defense Sirens In NJ

Was a working CD siren up until the 90's. It was use for weather events after that up until the 2010's when it stopped working.

Was used as a CD siren until the 90's. Not sure what happened after that but it doesn't work anymore.

Was most likely used as a CD siren and is still used for flood warnings.

Is one of many of the Model 5Ts in Bergenfield NJ. This siren was used for an unknown amount of time before it was taken out of service.

Was used as a CD and fire siren until it was decommissioned.

Was a working CD siren up until the 90's.The siren was repainted. It was use for weather events after that up until the 2024 when it stopped working.

This siren was used as both a fire and CD siren until it was decommissioned by the FD due to costs.

This siren was installed in the 1930s as an air raid siren and fire siren on top of the Elementary School in Bloomingdale. It is still used as a fire siren.

CD Siren example in Hawthorne, NJ

The United States Office of Civil Defense list of Municipalities that have received funding for warning sirens by 1963