An audible warning sign on emergency vehicles is the emergency siren

An audible warning sign on emergency vehicles is the emergency siren

Emergency vehicles of any type be it fire, police, rescue or ambulance need to have several different types of warning systems in place. Of course we are all aware of the high visibility lights and light units, but they also need an audible warning system and that’s where an emergency siren comes in. The sirens are a crucial part of an emergency vehicles early warning system. The sirens warn of a vehicles approach, so even if the vehicle isn’t in our line of sight we know one is in the immediate area and can take appropriate action to keep out of its way.

Immediately following a motor vehicle crash or injury to a pedestrian we expect that police, fire or medical assistance to be there first. What we also expect is to be warned of their approach both visually and audibly. The emergency siren is the sound we expect to hear in any emergency situation, and the siren also advises us to move over to allow emergency vehicles to pass us on the road or highway.

Many states have now introduced some form of ‘Move Over’ law, which requires road users to move to an adjacent lane if they see and hear an emergency vehicle approaching.

A frightening statistic is that on average one emergency worker per month is killed on the side of the road-by-road users that either don’t slow down or move out of the way. This is why over 40 states have passed a ‘move over’ law. The majority of these advise that if you are on the road and you hear or see an emergency vehicle approaching you must either move out of the way or slow down to enable them to pass. Some states specify a speed to slow to when passing an emergency vehicle.

Drivers may be so focused on their own driving they fail to see flashing lights, which is why the emergency siren is so vital as part of an emergency vehicle warning system. Along with the emergency siren, the units have a loudspeaker so officers can speak to suspects and others and also use them in crowd control situations to issue instructions. The siren acts as a broadcast warning via the speakers, and this also contains the vehicles PA system. So the emergency siren has a dual purpose on police vehicles.

There are some new sirens being tested by law enforcement officers across the US. These new emergency sirens have a low enough tone to send vibrations through a targeted vehicle and it’s occupants. Many modern automobiles cocoon the driver to such an extent that they fail to hear an audible emergency siren, maybe because they are playing music or have the radio on. It is becoming increasingly difficult for law enforcement officers to get the attention of motorists, but the emergency siren is likely to be the thing that will get your attention.

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