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Sirens Sirens every where and not a car in site

I was jarred out of my sleep again before 6am this morning. Was it my toddler waking? The dog barking? Nope. It was the sirens of a police car, or maybe a fire truck. Is there that much traffic before the sun rises in Coronado that the emergency services need to blast their sirens? Or are they just making sure the taxpaying residents know that they are getting their monies worth?

This is not the first time I thought of voicing my opinion on the matter. Those sirens can be heard at all hours of the night. Midnight, 2am, 5am? No consideration. I've lived in many communities and this is the first one where the emergency services have no respect for the sleeping residents. All the other neighborhoods that I have lived only turned on their lights after 9pm or before 8am.

In closing, I respectfully ask that Coronado's finest refrain from using sirens and use lights only from 9pm to 8am or some thing close to that.Anyone agree with me? How can we make this happen?

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Comment by Madison W. on September 27, 2012 at 9:42am: I hear sirens all the time, and strange as it may sound, usually at the same time every day! I'm wondering if maybe the emergency vehicles just take runs and test their lights and sirens at these same times each day. Also I hear them get on Orange, head towards the ferry landing, and about 2 minutes later they are coming back up Orange towards 6th. It almost seems like maybe they have the wrong address or are constantly lost!

Comment by Mayor Casey Tanaka on September 27, 2012 at 12:05pm: There are fairly straightforward protocols that emergency responders have to follow when dealing with emergencies. An ambulance driving to the hospital needs to get the patient from a scene to an ER quickly and they are rated by how quickly and safely they transport their patient. The same is true for Police and Fire responders. I am sure where the rules allow them to, they try to keep the noise down, but if a vehicle is running with is light/sirens on, chances are, it is for good reason.

Photo Star Comment by Dan Megna on September 28, 2012 at 10:39am: Casey's right, the California Vehicle Code is crystal clear about the use of lights and sirens when responding to an emergency call. Failing to use them in such instances, exposes the agency and, (in this case) the city, to potentially HUGE liability.

Imagine the outcry, and the subsequent financial liability to the city, if an ambulance, running without lights & sirens, tags someone crossing the street at midnight. But I guess it would be okay with a few folks, as long as they weren't awakened.... It's sorta like Naval aircraft sounds; it's just the sound of security, and in the case of the sirens, it's our city public safety folks, doing the right thing and following the rules.

Comment by Karen Bland on September 28, 2012 at 2:12pm: I guess my point was missed...Lights, absolutely. Sirens at 2am? Not necessary. After all the purpose of sirens is to alert traffic on the road that an emergency vehicle is approaching and to get out of the way. How much traffic is on Orange or any other road in Coronado at 5am? Again, this is the first neighborhood (out of 5) that didn't suspend sirens at certain times in respect of neighbors. Why don't we hear the church bells after 9am? Respect for the neighbors.

Comment by Mayor Casey Tanaka on September 28, 2012 at 10:52pm: Mr. Megna, who I believe is a former law enforcement officer, pointed out that the sirens are likely not optional in the instances where you are hearing them at 2AM. While this may be unpleasant (I live on Second Street, near the hospital and I hear them too) this is a small price to pay for life saving services being only minutes away in times of emergency and crisis.

Staff Comment by Kellee Hearther on September 30, 2012 at 3:09pm: It doesn't seem to me that the time of day matters if it's protocol. It's unfortunate that you are awakened by the sound of the sirens, but just because there isn't USUALLY traffic at 2AM on your street or Orange Avenue doesn't mean there is NEVER traffic. The one time there is no siren could be the time there is a car or cyclist or pedestrian. SAFETY is always tantamount.

Comment by Erin Grady Brown on October 1, 2012 at 8:56am: There is no way to predict exactly what traffic is on the road at any given time. If there is one car that could be about to come to an intersection that an emergency vehicle is about to blast through, the sirens are life-saving and critical. Lights aren't going to do much good unless they are right behind you. Sirens and church bells are like apples and oranges. Or, more like apples and flower pots. Not even remotely related.

Comment by Michael Szyhowski on October 1, 2012 at 10:54am: Wrong. The purpose of the siren is much more than to alert traffic on the road to get out of the way. It alerts pedestrians who will often hear the warning before ever seeing the lights. It is also a comfort to victims knowing help is approaching. There are also countless times when criminals have bolted from the scene when they hear the help on the way. It is much more than getting traffic out of the way, it helps protect those responding. The Mayor is correct - it is a small price to pay.

Comment by Carol Adams on October 7, 2012 at 12:58pm: Use of sirens—no matter the time of day or night—enables emergency vehicles to bring care to those who are ill or injured as quickly as possible. It prevents innocent bystanders and emergency personnel from being hurt in collisions (yes, there are people out between 9 P.M. and 8 A.M.). As someone who has had to call the paramedics, desperately hoping that they would arrive in time to help a loved one, the need seems very, very clear.

By the way, I feel greatly blessed to live in a city where our paramedics do everything they can to respond quickly, efficiently and kindly when there is a medical emergency. Thank you CFD.

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