Giant Voice System

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tong Duong
  • 56th Fighter Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Exercise, exercise, exercise echoes the voice coming from the speakers, alerting Thunderbolts that preparedness training is about to begin. 

The alert message, though similar to the one released to base computers will soon come from a giant voice system mounted on speaker towers installed throughout the base. The towers, which hold two-to-four 400-watt speakers, could be operational as soon as June 30 and tested in early July. 

Having been in the works for more than a year, the GVS rings the register at $1 million and is an Air Education Training Command's directive to install the system, or a similar one, at all AETC bases. 

The purpose of the system is for immediate notification to the entire base population of emergencies such as severe weather, natural disaster warnings or other emergency situations where information needs to be quickly disseminated to base personnel. 

An example emergency message would be one for those at the Falcon Dunes golf course with approaching adverse weather. Golfers may hear a pre-recorded digital voice message saying "Lightning warning! Immediately clear the course and return to the club house!" 

In addition to emergency warnings, another feature of the giant voice system allows the airing of the reveille and retreat. 

Installation of the GVS primary control system began May 3 in the 56th Fighter Wing Command Post. The speaker towers soon followed and are strategically placed around base including the housing area. 

According to Senior Master Sgt. James Sanders, 56th FW Command Post superintendent, the GVS is an efficient way to disperse key messages. 

"It will give the commander a critical tool when needed to quickly disseminate information," said Sergeant Sanders. "This capability will possibly save lives and protect valuable resources through timely notifications when used in emergency situations." 

Not only will the new system allow the command post to relay important information, but the system can be a tool for exercise uses. 

"During an exercise, different areas of the base can be shut off," said Denise Watz, 56th Communication Squadron giant voice system program manager. "The 20 towers between the Falcon Dunes Golf Course and base housing can be individually adjusted, be it lowering the volume, shutting down a specific tower or a section or localizing the message. 

The emergency mass communication system also plays a key role in exercises and allows the dissemination of the commander's message. 

"The giant voice system will provide an emergency mass notification capability to warn base members of impending situations so that appropriate actions can be taken," she said.