Federal Signal Corporation became the first manufacturer in the fire industry to trademark the sound of a siren, the company announced.
The United States Trademark Executor awarded the trademark in late 2003 and to the best of Federal Signal's knowledge, their siren is one of very few sounds ever granted a trademark.
Marketing manager Jim Sortino said a few other sounds that have been trademarked in the past include the sound of the Harley Davidson engine, the MGM lion roar, and a sound GE used in advertisements.
In order to get the trademark, Federal Signal had to submit testimonials from officials in the fire industry stating that the Q-Siren is recognizable and associated with Federal Signal. They also showed that the sound has been in use for 50 years and that it has a loyal following among many firefighters.
"This is one way for us to promote what the industry already knows - the Q-Siren has a distinct sound that's traditional in the industry," Sortino said.
Sortino said they also sought the trademark to prevent other companies from attempting to copy the sound siren. He said some competitors have already promoted their product as "sounding like" the Q-Siren.
"The fact that we now have the trademark makes it more difficult to make those claims," he said.
"It's like the Lifetime Achievement Award for sirens," said Federal Signal's Vice President of Engineering Joe Bader in a prepared statement. "The Q-Siren was ahead of its time as the leader in emergency warning and is finally receiving recognition as the most reliable and recognizable sound in the industry"
According to Bader, _The Q-Siren holds over 50 years of quality and reliability. If a customer buys a siren for the Q sound, they should be assured that they are getting the real Federal Signal Q-Siren and not a copy product."
Related: Federal Signal Corporation
