News Comment #7

Sirens: loud, Ineffective, and Risky, Experts Say.

This article discusses the safety implications of using sirens on emergency vehicles. It talks specifically about the use of sirens in situations that are unnecessary. Sirens and lights are being used in situations that are not imminently deadly. Firefighters say that the lights and sirens cause an adrenaline rush making it easier for fatal mistakes to be made. 

Higher frequency sirens are not loud enough to alert nearby cars of an ambulance’s presence in time for the appropriate reaction. This endangers the safety of both the emergency responders and the public.

I think this article is very well written. It uses a variety of reliable and knowledgeable sources.  

I like that the author presents a solution to the issue at the end of the article. By using lower frequency sirens that emit a low rumbling, emergency responders will be more likely to get the attention of cars and pedestrians nearby. 

My uncle, Kyle McLendon, It a firefighter and a paramedic in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. He commented on the fact that sirens are mostly useful to get through red lights and large traffic jams. In most cases, when transporting patients, emergency responders do not actually have the lights and sirens blaring. It depends greatly on the individual situation, while they can begin to treat the patient in the ambulance, in many situations’ healthcare cannot be held off for a lot of time. 

This article was very informational, and I would recommend it to someone who wants a quick read on this subject. It came across as unbiased and factual in its statements.