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Tyndall to receive a “GIANT” upgrade

  • Published
  • By Melissa Porter
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Team Tyndall members who hear voices while by themselves the last week of May shouldn't worry. The voices aren't inside their heads; instead it's the 325th Communications Squadron upgrading the base Giant Voice System, a component of the Installation Warning System being installed at Tyndall Air Force Base.

"The Installation Warning System, an Air Education and Training Command-wide program, is critical to alerting the base population of current and potential threats," said Maj. J. Todd Hannah, 325th Communications Squadron commander. "These threats include both peacetime, such as natural disasters, and wartime, such as a terrorist attacks."

The Giant Voice System is the first of three IWS components to be installed at Tyndall, said Brian Timpe, 325 CS project manager.

"Giant Voice consists of public address speakers located on 33 poles across the base, allowing for mass notification to personnel in outdoor areas, expeditionary structures and temporary buildings via a siren signal or pre-recorded or live voice message," said Mr. Timpe. "The system is also used to play Taps, Reveille, and the National Anthem across the base." 

In addition, the IWS will consist of the Telephone Alerting System, which gives the commander the capability of calling several telephone numbers simultaneously, providing rapid notification to personnel on and off base; and the Networked Alerting System, which allows the commander to send alert notifications to every computer connected to the base unclassified network, said Mr. Timpe.

The Giant Voice System upgrade started mid-February. The communications squadron will be testing and tuning the system from May 26-30.

"During this time, base personnel across the installation and families residing in base housing can expect to hear test messages broadcast repeatedly throughout the day," said Mr. Timpe.

While perhaps an annoyance to some, Major Hannah said it's a small price to pay for a system that could potentially save lives.

"Whether it's a dangerous storm approaching or a force-protection threat, today's environment requires an integrated system that allows the installation commander to quickly notify all personnel on base of any potential or actual threat," said Major Hannah. "This system will do the job, and do it well."