Fire Departments: Sirens Still Serve a Purpose [POLL]

Jonathan Vecchi January 13, 2012 at 11:10 pm

I would always defer to the opinion of the firemen. If they feel that it is a necessary tool to keep people safe, then it should be continued.

Sue January 14, 2012 at 12:15 pm

There should be no complaints! My husband is a volunteer firemen for about 25 years. Did you ever try to sleep with a blaring plextron box going off in the middle of the night? It is definitely not pleasant. So, I would take the aerial sounding fire alarm over the annoying blaring squawk box any time of the day!!!

Scamp January 14, 2012 at 12:47 pm

I think that's the point. The volunteers are told about the call before the aerial sound goes off, via a plextron box (I didn't know that is what is it called, I always wondered, thank you!). There for, the aerial sound fire alarm is not being used as a way to gather the volunteers.
East Northport has the aerial fire alarm, I can hear Northports as well. And either Commack or Kings Park also has it, on a still night I can hear other towns alarms.

John January 14, 2012 at 02:02 pm

Scamp, Plectron (home units) are only good if the firefighter is actually in the home. Pagers are only as good as the service providing same (we've all had cell phone and page "black hole" areas). We're in a time where NIMBY is the local law. Try to improve signal transmission and reception requires installation of additional antennae towers. Then immediately residents scream "Not in my back yard". Sirens and air horns are secondary back-up systems. If a firefighter is swimming in his pool or lying on a blanket at the beach, they're not wearing any of the electronic equipment. Hearing the siren, many a firefighter has jumped up off the towel or out of the pool and headed directly for the firehouse. Hope to God its not for you or for your family the siren sounds. Instead of complaining, I think when hearing the sirens, folks should stop and say a quick prayer for the safety of the firefighters and ems responders answering the call of the siren, and for the family involved on the receiving end of emergency assistance.

carole January 14, 2012 at 02:54 pm

Necessary backup alert.
John can you provide an example of "NIMBY is the local law" where such a request was denied?

Sue January 14, 2012 at 07:40 pm

Oops, it should read "Plectron". Thanks John!

Chris S January 14, 2012 at 07:59 pm

As a child I remember hearing the noon siren and that would mean that it was
time to go home and check in with mom. The six o clock siren was when we came in for dinner. That was way before pagers. That being said, the pagers are not always reliable neither are the texts. I can think of instances where we heard the siren first before the page or text came in.

dom January 15, 2012 at 05:31 am

OBSOLET only people sayn its needed are firemen and people who do live close to hear that noise pollution, with todays communication technology its like readn a newspaper today WHO DOES internet does it all change with the times

John January 15, 2012 at 06:57 am

Sure Carole. Understand when I say NIMBY is local law it is intended to mean the local cry of the land. When enough people show at a meeting and cry "not in my back yard", politicians yield to requests. Examples? There are tons. Every time a provider requests permission to put up a cell tower or large transmission tower, public hearings are packed with neighbors saying "No way, put it someplace else." Most recent was the petition to put one on the Britannia Yacht club site (turned down), then there was in this past week's edition of Newsday to put them on utilty poles along the 25A corridor (turned down). There's tons, just do a search on the Newsday website of "cell tower" and you'll see lots of stories about the same.
Dom - yes. You're pretty much going to see the majority of folks talking about this are volunteer fire / ems folk. Just like the majority of people blogging about internal combustion engines are mechanics and auto enthusiasts. People who know about stuff, talk about it. Seems reasonable don't it?

Chris January 15, 2012 at 02:53 pm

I have 20 years of VFD experience - The days of the siren are from the days of the farm and before radios. Just like street pull boxes, which are gone from most districts because of the telephone. There are a lot of sentimental things about the volunteer fire service that many are loathe to leave behind, and this is one. Perhaps we should have hung on to the caretaker ringing the gong in the front yard of the firehouse? The advent of trunked radio systems, pagers, cell phones and texts are as good a reason as any to move on. These sirens do not serve any other real purpose (aside from telling us when it is noon). They do not warn of impending disaster or air raids. They typically do not sound at night, so I am not sure what Sue is talking about regarding her husbands radio. Besides, it comes with the territory, Madam. As far as dead zones for radios, I doubt that you would hear it in your basement, in your car by home depot with the radio on AC blowing, etc. If its really a problem, work on your radio systems - it may take skipping the gold leaf on a rig or two. One thing though - based on some commenters here - It happens every time anyone discusses the sacred cow of volunteer fire service in ANY context. You fail the public by threatening tragedy whenever there is a discussion of change. I doubt you are running off the beach in your speedo to investigate that automatic alarm. Shame on you for that. You are a public entity. You serve us. We have a right to effect change.

Local January 15, 2012 at 03:29 pm

i don't see a problem with the sirens. it also helps you beaware while driving. it gives you a heads up to look out for emergency vehicles and volunteers in route. i'm sure there would be many more complaints if volunteers did'nt show or were late to a call.

Sue January 15, 2012 at 08:54 pm

Was your radio working this summer when the hurricane struck and power was out in my Smithtown neighborhood for a few days? The siren is needed. FYI- The "Squawk box" goes off all through the night especially for ambluance calls- Moniseur.

Local January 15, 2012 at 09:35 pm

sue thats a good point. i lost cell service during that time also. so i would imagine the volunteers lost it too.

BillLongisland January 16, 2012 at 10:28 am

What kind of Idiot, would want to stop our local fire departments from sounding their alarms ?
ANSWER: The person whose home would burn down because of the inability of volunteers to respond to a fire call. EVERYONE !

Resident - Smithtown January 21, 2012 at 05:58 pm

In a conversation recently someone told me, "Oh, you're a firefighter,
that's cool. I wanted to do that when I was a kid. What do you make?" What do I make? I make holding your hand seem like the biggest thing in the world while I'm cutting you out of a car. I can make 5 minutes seem like a lifetime when I go into a burning house to save your family. I make those annoying sirens seem like angels when you need them. I can make your children breathe when they stop. I can help you survive a heart attack. I make myself get out of bed at 3am to risk my life to save people I've never met. Today I might make the ultimate sacrifices to save your life. I make a difference. What do you make? Just something to think about.

BillLongisland January 21, 2012 at 11:32 pm

Thank you Resident for your Service, if you are a volunteer fireperson, locally !
Thanks for reminding us what you / they do...Lest we forget !

Matt(easy like Sunday morning) January 22, 2012 at 01:09 am

I say get rid of the fire alarms being more custom than necessity. When a fire occurs at 3am alarms are silent other systems are used so use the same for daytime

Resident - Smithtown January 22, 2012 at 01:34 am

I am, and am happy and proud to serve. Thank you for your support.
If they did away with the horns we would be ok, as with everything else we are trained to adapt and overcome. Nothing is going to stop us from doing the job we have sworn to do. Oh and PS, I have heard the horn while in the pool and responded to my share of automatic alarms, but I am in no shape to wear a speedo.

BillLongisland January 22, 2012 at 08:06 am

If anything it's a reminder of the people who serve this community to Save Lives...someone's discomfort during the night, could save a Life...and that Life could be yours...unless, somehow one lives a charmed life.

robkoz January 22, 2012 at 12:49 pm

I live a block from the siren. No problems. If the FD needs it then it stays.
The people that complain about it are among the same idiots that all moved next to all the race tracks then had the balls to complain about the noise. Like all the race tracks that LI once had why don't we just do away with them as well and you can put out your own fire?

FYI January 22, 2012 at 03:35 pm

I live within a block of one of the fire sirens. Yes, it can sometimes be annoying but that annoyance is trumped by the necessity based on the fire departments determination. At night, I believe the siren only sounds for "major" callouts or something similar. My question is why this method is used during the nighttime, why not also during the day? Anyone know? And last but not least, thank you to all the volunteers and their families for their time and sacrifice for the good of others!

Local January 22, 2012 at 03:53 pm

anyone notice the siren thats missing on indian head road. (just north of superior ice rink) it was at that dead end at the bottom of the drivway at ralieghs farm. it looked the one at the top of the hill on 25A near the sunken meadow parkway. when the town houses were built across the street the intersection was redesigned. the story is the contractor removed it with out permission. they thought it didnt work anymore....but it was never replaced.