Sirens – not just a single sound but also a range of sounds and variations
You would imagine any sirens on emergency vehicles just produce one sound, well, some do. More modern sirens however, produce a range of different sounds to draw attention to the vehicle or to ensure someone pulls over
You would be forgiven for not giving a second thought to sirens. After all we hear them but probably don’t take a great deal of notice of them. sirens are often seen as a nuisance and an annoyance because we hear them so often. That is true, but we hear them because all emergency response vehicles have them and they use them to move traffic and advise of their approach. The banks of flashing lights would be the visual signal that they are responding to an emergency and the sirens are the audible warning.
The sirens can be of different sounds for different reasons, a steady long blast or a wailing sound. Many sirens have an air-horn facility as well as different siren sounds. The modern units can be operated via an easy to use remote control, which gives greater control to the personnel using them. sirens can be linked up to Personal Address systems and link directly into CB radios making them versatile and multi-functional. On hearing a siren our immediate reaction is probably to stop and watch for the accompanying flashing lights.
sirens indicate the vehicles are responding to an emergency, and the use of sirens and lights are normally a response to a priority 1 call from a dispatcher. It may sound a bit dramatic, but sirens are as important on an emergency vehicle as the breaks or steering. Without the siren the vehicle becomes less noticeable and therefore vulnerable to collision from other vehicles. Due to the speed they need to respond to situations, the emergency vehicles really can’t do without the sirens.
You may think that the flashing lights on emergency vehicles would be notification enough of their approach but this isn’t the case. What if someone were blind or partially blind? They would have great difficulty seeing the approach of a vehicle. sirens act as the audible warning that those who can’t see, need. Sight and sound are important to us, and we use all of our senses when we are out and about on the streets. As pedestrians we need to be aware of what and who is around us at any given time, and the sirens we hear are part of our warnings of danger.
PA systems with sirens and CB radio are ideal pieces of equipment for emergency vehicles. They can be used in conjunction with emergency and hazard warning lights and ensures the safety of the personnel in the vehicle at all times. The next time you hear any sirens, stop and take a look. Often you will hear the siren long before you will see the flashing lights that are used with it. This advance warning is ideal to warn us on the streets of impending danger or that something has happened that needs specialist emergency help in attendance
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