Federal "Q" Siren..

[911Caddy]

So, does anyone have any idea why this Amazing siren is not in more wide spread use in B.C...Or Canada?
I screams "Fire Dept" when you hear it..You know it's a responding Fire Apparatus. What a great p.r. noise maker. The general public even recognizes the sound and most of us don't have them mounted on our Engines?? It's because that specific sound has been around for almost 55 years. That's how long Federal has been building that siren. Even the sound it produces has been trademarked by Federal Signal.
It's been shown to work better than electronic sirens due to the way the sound is produced and delivered.
But, if you look at many Canadian Fire Apparatus... They are lacking the one thing that makes it a Fire Truck in my opinion. The Federal "Mechanical" siren!
Here on the "Rock" in the greater Victoria Area there are more and more apparatus that are coming from the factory with these great sirens. One local Dept (Victoria) has them on every rig and rarely uses them..Some of the guys say there too loud? That makes no sense to me at all when you consider the size and stopping distance required of these rigs and all you've got is your 100 watt speaker opperating??
I heard that Surrey Fire is the latest Dept that will be retrofitting their Engines with the mechanical "Q" siren.

[colin911]

All of our new trucks for the last 2 years have been coming with them ... no talk of retro-fitting the others.

[scoop422]

Caddy I agree I like them but you sound like you get orgasms from them!:D

[bestcoast]

I believe Burnaby Fire has them on all their rig's as well......BC..

[bfrd22]

2 out of 4 of our rigs have em. Both are 1st due units.

[911Caddy]

Hey "Scoop",
Orgasim?? Hmmm, interesting choice of words.
I think it's more the love of Tradition and Pride in the Fire Service. Everything from Bells and "Q" sirens to flags on the Engines etc.. Many of us Canadian Fire Fighters lack that at times. But, having said that many departments are slowly getting there.

[scoop422]

Caddy I couldn't agree more. Canadian departments don't embrace the traditions enough.

[DFCSmash]

Hmmmm. Federal Q or extra air pak. Which will I purchase this year. Doh. Airpak.

Never let progress stand in the way of tradition.:p :cool:

[Firefighter1680]

Our new bronto has one and its very cool...Im sure it will never get used...Change? what is that????

[Toxic]

Okay I have no idea what siren you guys are referring to. Guess I'll have to take all your words for it.:)

[colin911]

Toxic ... here's a picture of one. They are amazing at clearing the traffic ahead of you.

[kriand]

Caddy I agree I like them but you sound like you get orgasms from them!:D
And what's wrong with that??????
Our oldest in service truck still has one. It's an '88 Pierce Dash.....It was always 3rd truck into our disrtict, and you can here screaming coming in.

[Squamish-FF]

Must agree the "Q" is so loud and distinctive. We have one on our quint and our new rescue/pumper.

[bubbacole77]

We just purchased a new pumper and I tried to get it added and the hire-ups would'nt go for it. Cost too much they said. I tried to promote it in the remembrence of a former chief and still no avail. I love them, fantasitc sound that can be heard for miles.

[bestcoast]

We just purchased a new pumper and I tried to get it added and the hire-ups would'nt go for it. Cost too much they said. I tried to promote it in the remembrence of a former chief and still no avail. I love them, fantasitc sound that can be heard for miles.
Our Tower downtown has one and you can sure hear it coming......BC......

[LTPVFD]

I was in Vancouver over the weekend. Ladder Tower 7 was responding down Burrard to a medical aid call with its "Q" Siren blaring. Definitely cleared all the traffic and intersections. We will be adding the "Q" to our list of required options when we start specing out our new engine!!

Stay safe & drive safe !!


LTPVFD

[bestcoast]

I was in Vancouver over the weekend. Ladder Tower 7 was responding down Burrard to a medical aid call with its "Q" Siren blaring. Definitely cleared all the traffic and intersections. We will be adding the "Q" to our list of required options when we start specing out our new engine!!

Stay safe & drive safe !!


LTPVFD
Just the rig I was talking about Itpvfd in my previous post....our new engines are suppose to have them but we'll see....I don't believe anything on our job till i see it!!.....BC...

[dentedhead]

We just purchased a new pumper and I tried to get it added and the hire-ups would'nt go for it. Cost too much they said. I tried to promote it in the remembrence of a former chief and still no avail. I love them, fantasitc sound that can be heard for miles.

Heres a possible first.We have 2 new trucks coming both will have Q's.The chief was the main proponent of it and swayed the fire services board to okay the extra cost.

Dentedhead

[irsqyu]

All our new trucks have the big wind up siren in the front bumper, I believe ours are by Whelen, not Federal, they definitely move the traffic. The young fellow on the bumper is one of my grandsons.

[firefighter26]

Our old pumper didn't have one and neither did our new engine.

HOWEVER, in the back of some dusty storage cabinet that hasn't been opened in about a year we have the ORIGINAL Q sire off of the FD's very first truck, a 1942 Ford Pumper (open cab and everything!.. it just screams long gots and 3/4 boots). Anyway, a while ago me and other guy wired up a make shift harness to see if it would work, and DAMN WAS IT EVER LOUD! (other FF in the station thought it was the siren going and that their pagers didn't trip!)

I asked Scott (fire chief at the time) after we took delievery of the new engine that we should find a way of mounting the old Q to it. Get the outer case all shined up and have some kind of plaque mounted on or under it. But alas, that pet project of mine took a back burner to things like training and equipment purchases and with the situation now will probably never get done.... :(

On that note, I seen that the City of Ducan has mounted on the front pumper of their newest engine the ORIGINAL fire bell that used to be used on their very first horse drawn steam pumper, and it still shines nice a bright and clangs on the way to calls. It is these little additions that bring back the pride and tradition of the fire service.

For the record, NOTHING beats the sound of an ol' Q!!!!

[911Caddy]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoys the "classic" mechanical siren sound of Fire apparatus. And because I'm kind of a siren junkie... I just wanted to get you guys on the same page.
The last time I saw Vancouvers Tower 7 it has what is pictured in "irsqyu"s" post. It's a Whelen Executor siren. It is totally electronic. No spinning parts unlike a "real" Federal Q2b mechanical siren. What you see in the bumper in that picture is a very large electronic siren speaker. Nice Truck by the way!! The Executor siren uses a digital sound of what is called "Mechanical tone" Just like the yelp,wail and hi/low tones on other siren boxes.
Yes, it sounds great but it's definately not a Federal "Q". The "Q" siren sound is a registered trademark. That sound has been on Fire and rescue apparatus since the mid 50's. Not to mention early car based Ambulances.
Whelen had to be very careful when they marketed their mechanical siren tone. If it was too close to Federal's they would be off to court!
ltpvfd, Check out Qualicums new siren boxes. They could'nt afford the "Q" sirens for their fleet..They have retrofitted all the big apparatus with the Whelen siren box that has the mechanical tone..
I've heard that Whelen has discontinued the "Executor" siren. But that particular "mechanical Executor tone" is now offered in one of their siren boxes along with usual wail and yelp tones. Qualicum Beach purchased these Whelen siren boxes as a way of having the tone you heard on Tower 7 that day in Vancouver. Or check out Lantzvilles new Freightliner Engine. They have the Federal eQ2b.. As close to the real thing without the spining rotor. For half the cost. Doug can listen to both and decide what he likes better. I also think you should make him purchase a pedestal mounted Q siren for your "new" ladder. All that space on the extended front bumper and you've only got two chromed Federal cp100's?? How distressing! : )
Thanks for listening.

[BCFFFV]

Tower 7 in Vancouver has a very distinct sound. I can tell what rig is coming as soon as I hear the siren.

[bestcoast]

Tower 7 in Vancouver has a very distinct sound. I can tell what rig is coming as soon as I hear the siren.
.......wish all our rigs had them......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF_tkAliiC4

..........BC...........................

[shaneb]

I went to Florida this summer and we stayed in Kissimmee, just off hwy192 we had 3or4 stations in the area, and they are busy. How do I know? They have the big great "Q" What a great sound!! I didn't mind waking to that sound at 330 in the morning. I wish we had em on our trucks!!

[ABFF37]

.......wish all our rigs had them......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF_tkAliiC4

..........BC...........................

All of our new rigs are coming equipped with the eQ2B Federal Signal Siren. Not quite a traditional Q siren, it sounds very simmilar, but it's an electric siren. I much prefer the eQ2B and its traditional siren sound over the "boring" old sirens that we used to have...they were just a normal Code 3 siren system with Wail/Hi-Lo/Yelp settings. These eQ2B's are also great because they sound different than any other siren in the city that is in use (by police or EMS) so I can always tell if it's a fire truck that is coming when I hear them. I have also noticed a slightly better response from drivers...it seems that the sound stands out to them as well and they seem to pick it up a bit earlier. Or maybe that's just me standing on the new super loud air horns that we have on the rigs!!!

AB:p

[red_dog_six]

Listen to this guy screaming...................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi0-kB5S7ZA&NR

[rescuechris]

Our new rig is speced with an eQ2B.... can't wait to test her out!!!

[ROOKIELZ]

Gotta love a "Q"
If I had my way, our apparatus would have them.

I have heard that the electrical drain is quite high so you are better off spec'ing your apparatus for it right away rather than trying to retrofit.

[astangman]

I also think that all the apparatus should have "Q" sirens. Yes the price is always the deciding factor but I wish that the people that do the purchasing could ride to calls to see how many people actually pull over when they hear us with a regular electronic siren { not many and the old air horn gets a work out }. Having the "Q" or the electronic "Q" give drivers a fair warning that we are coming well before they see us. I feel that it is another tool that aids us in our duty. Our last 4 engines came with the eQ2B.

[fireenginenut]

I live in Saskatoon. The only time I ever heard a Q siren was back in the mid-1970s. The city fire department had an early 1950s International pumper truck that had been converted to a generator unit in 1971. I had to hold my ears when the truck went by. The department must not have liked the Q because it was later replaced with a 66G.

Electronic sirens first appeared on city fire engines in 1970, and mechanical sirens were completely phased out by the early 1980s. As far back as I can remember the standard siren operation procedure for fire engines and ambulances is to use the wail tone most of the time and use the yelp tone when going through controlled intersections.

I don't miss mechanical sirens one bit. They are fine for antique fire apparatus, but I think they are out of place on modern fire engines. When I hear a mechanical siren I always think 'old fire engine'. And a 100 watt electronic siren is a lot easier on the ears than a Q2b running at full speed.

[PNEFD]

Yep, people cover their ears when we go by with the Q at full song. I can honestly say from experience that NOTHING moves traffic better than a real Federal Q and air horns.

They absolutely DO have a place on modern fire apparatus, everybody's realized that they got it right 50 years ago and that the modern electronic sirens just don't cut it. It's why the Q and other mechanical types have made such a huge comeback in recent years.

And yes, it is a distinct sound that is directly associated with a fire engine. This is a good thing, because most of the population knows that sound as well.

[itsnotahobby]

Agreed. I wouldn't care if it was a cat screaming on the bumper, I want whatever it is that is going to move traffic or alert people to our presence when we are running code one. And I know from experience that its the Q and air horn combo.

[irsqyu]

You guys better be careful with those loud sirens, especially in the rural areas, see what can happen:stupid:


http://firefighterclosecalls.com/fullstory.php?102940

[fireenginenut]

I think it's more the love of Tradition... in the Fire Service. ...bells and "Q" sirens... on the Engines etc... Many of us Canadian Fire Fighters lack that at times. But, having said that many departments are slowly getting there.

I don't like things that are done just for tradition's sake. So much of firefighting technology has evolved and progressed, and yet there are some people who want to take a step backward by sticking antiquated warning devices on modern state-of-the-art firefighting apparatus.

I dunno... every time I hear a mechanical siren I envision an old open cab pumper barreling around the corner with a bubble top rotary beacon flashing and two firemen sitting in the cab cringing at the wind whistling through their ears while the other two are standing on the back deck and holding on for dear life. And I'm old enough to remember seeing fire engines like that in service.

[Hacienda216]

...I don't like things that are done just for tradition's sake. So much of firefighting technology has evolved and progressed, and yet there are some people who want to take a step backward by sticking antiquated warning devices on modern state-of-the-art firefighting apparatus...

Yep, people cover their ears when we go by with the Q at full song. I can honestly say from experience that NOTHING moves traffic better than a real Federal Q and air horns...

...I want whatever it is that is going to move traffic or alert people to our presence when we are running code one. And I know from experience that its the Q and air horn combo.


While you might think of a 1929 Bickle when you hear the Q siren, anyone who has DRIVEN a truck with a Q knows that the other drivers on the road hear that old school siren wound out to its shrieking max much more quickly than any electronic siren. I don't care if they picture a Flintstone's fire truck when they hear it, as long as they just get outta the way. I lament the day we got ride of our last old bucket of bolts and didn't swipe the Federal Q off it. They both have their place, but an electronic siren is very directional and doesn't have the same kind of distance a real mechanical siren gives you. The hyper-yelp, or stinger or whatever you wanna call it might get peoples' attention when you're weaving around 'em in the intersection, but that ol' Q should have already let them know you're coming from a mile away.

[fireenginenut]

Electronic sirens are 'directional' because the speakers are mounted on the front of the vehicle only. Front and side mounted speakers would cure that problem.

Another problem with electronic sirens that are in use nowadays is that the newer sirens are designed to produce high-pitched wail and yelp tones. Low frequency sounds travel further than high frequency sounds, and a lower pitched siren would be heard better from a distance.

A Q siren running at lower speeds sounds fine, but when siren operators rev the thing up to full speed it is excruciatingly painful to listen to.

[Hacienda216]

Thats an issue of using the siren properly. You could bolt on 10 electronic siren speakers pointing in all directions, it wouldn't change the fact that you can hear the Q from further away.

[fireenginenut]

You could bolt on 10 electronic siren speakers pointing in all directions, it wouldn't change the fact that you can hear the Q from further away.

I dunno... I wouldn't be convinced of that unless tests were conducted to prove it.

[DCCHam]

We have an electronic Federal siren on one of our pumpers, and you can't tell the difference from the sound of it to a 'Q' siren. It costs a lot less, and we run this as well as our electronic Whalen siren.

We also run a 'rumble siren' on one of our rescues. I hate the sound of this, but it will move traffic in a hurry when needed.

[Hacienda216]

We have an electronic Federal siren on one of our pumpers, and you can't tell the difference from the sound of it to a 'Q' siren. It costs a lot less, and we run this as well as our electronic Whalen siren.

We also run a 'rumble siren' on one of our rescues. I hate the sound of this, but it will move traffic in a hurry when needed.


I Second that. I scooted around in a car with a Rumbler in it a couple months ago, that thing is pretty wild. It felt like car parts would start falling off any minute.

[xyz1]

I have to 100% disagree with your statement that you can't tell the difference between the electronic and the mechanical "Q". Firstly, the electronic version when in it's wail mode sounds kind of like a cat in heat. It is ridiculous. My department has vehicles with Federal PA300 electronic sirens and the mechanical Federal Q and they move traffic very well and sound good. We also have newer engines that run only the electronic eQ2b and they are awful. Sound bad, and do not project sound well.

As well, the list price of a Q2B is around $2300 and the eQ2b is almost $1600 for the amplifier controls plus anywhere between $650 to $900 for the 200 watt speakers. So as far as cost, the Q2b is the same if not cheaper than its electronic cousin.

Electronic sirens come and go, but the Q has a proven track record of over many, many years.

[fireenginenut]

Electronic sirens come and go, but the Q has a proven track record of over many, many years.

I think the mechanical Q siren's days are numbered. Of all the mechanical warning devices that are still in use today, that's the only one I can think of that stubbornly hangs on. Telephone ringers, doorbells, fire alarms, railway crossing bells, air raid sirens... so many different signaling devices are now available in electronic form.

$2300 for a mechanical siren? A typical pumper truck can be outfitted with a 100 watt electronic siren and a speaker for a whole lot less. And some parts of the country have environments that can be quite hard on mechanical sirens - minus 30 degree or lower temperatures, snow, slush, ice, and sand can gum up the works.

And for those who say an electronic siren is not loud enough, I notice that fire engines have very loud air horns that can 'clear traffic' too.

[Hacienda216]

I think the mechanical Q siren's days are numbered. Of all the mechanical warning devices that are still in use today, that's the only one I can think of that stubbornly hangs on. Telephone ringers, doorbells, fire alarms, railway crossing bells, air raid sirens... so many different signaling devices are now available in electronic form.

$2300 for a mechanical siren? A typical pumper truck can be outfitted with a 100 watt electronic siren and a speaker for a whole lot less. And some parts of the country have environments that can be quite hard on mechanical sirens - minus 30 degree or lower temperatures, snow, slush, ice, and sand can gum up the works.

And for those who say an electronic siren is not loud enough, I notice that fire engines have very loud air horns that can 'clear traffic' too.

Haha, who is this guy anyways? I'm not sure doorbells and phone ringers are an apt comparison to emergency vehicle sirens.

Did you know we have Smart cars that run on 0.8L diesel motors @ 55MPG, but for some strange reason we still rely on these big, brutish 15L 600HP trucks to drag trailers across the country. Sheeeeesh, some industries are just so stuck in tradition.

[xyz1]

Yes, you can buy a 100 watt electronic siren and speaker for much cheaper but, you get what you pay for. If you want to argue that "environments that can be quite hard on mechanical sirens - minus 30 degree or lower temperatures, snow, slush, ice, and sand can gum up the works.", then you obviously have little to no experience with electronic sirens either.

I have experienced more failures of electronic sirens than I have ever seen with a mechanical one. Since electronic siren speakers must be located out in front of the vehicle (and not on the cab roof), they are very prone to fill with snow and ice in those same winter conditions you describe. Once this occurs, they no longer are able to project sound, so they don't work. May not be much of a problem when you pull out of the station and go two blocks, but if you travel any distance it is significant. Furthermore, the electronic speaker drivers are quite prone to failure. Again, when it fails, it cannot produce sound.

[breakerbreaker]

I think the mechanical Q siren's days are numbered. Of all the mechanical warning devices that are still in use today, that's the only one I can think of that stubbornly hangs on. Telephone ringers, doorbells, fire alarms, railway crossing bells, air raid sirens... so many different signaling devices are now available in electronic form.

$2300 for a mechanical siren? A typical pumper truck can be outfitted with a 100 watt electronic siren and a speaker for a whole lot less. And some parts of the country have environments that can be quite hard on mechanical sirens - minus 30 degree or lower temperatures, snow, slush, ice, and sand can gum up the works.

And for those who say an electronic siren is not loud enough, I notice that fire engines have very loud air horns that can 'clear traffic' too.

I've had enough of reading your unfounded posts, you'd best stop arguing something that you have no facts on. You ask to see the research showing the difference between electronic and mechanical sirens - go look for it, there is a plethora of it out there. Mechanical siren's such as the Q have been shown to be more effective time and time again.


I'll bet dollars to doughnuts i've been around the block longer than you have, and have witnessed first-hand the shift in siren use through the years. When department management and city council started losing their spines, there was a movement to get rid of the Q's and move to electronic sirens because too many old ladies were complaining that it hurt their ears. However, any department, including mine, who had removed the Q's noticed a sharp increase in response times, and vehicle incidents involving apparatus.

I can't recall a single time when a vehicle didn't get out of our way or at least make and honest effort when we had the Q fired up. When the took the Q away years ago, I couldn't even count how many times we've been right on the rear bumper of a car with sirens and airhorns blaring, and the driver carries on clueless. Cars are becoming more and more insulated and quiet - we as a fire service must compensate, and the only way to do that with current technology is via mechanical siren.

Thankfully the powers that be have regained some sense, and the mechanical sirens are making a comeback. The new trucks we've received recently are outfitted with an Eagle mechanical siren, which is a different sound than the Q, but being a mechanical siren, is equally effective. Mechanical sirens emit a more 'square' sound wave, which travels further and penetrates deeper than an electrical tone.

When you're the one with the emergency, you'll be glad to hear that 'noise' coming, knowing that people are getting out of their way, allowing them to get to you faster and safer.

[fireenginenut]

I've had enough of reading your unfounded posts, you'd best stop arguing something that you have no facts on. You ask to see the research showing the difference between electronic and mechanical sirens - go look for it, there is a plethora of it out there. Mechanical siren's such as the Q have been shown to be more effective time and time again.

If mechanical sirens are so much better, then why don't other emergency services still use them? Mechanical Q sirens used to be quite common on ambulances in the 1960s, and police departments used Federal 66s, 28s, and other smaller mechanical sirens.

Why mechanical for fire engines and electronic for everything else? All emergency services are important, and if mechanical sirens are more 'effective', wouldn't it make sense for all emergency vehicles to have them? And don't give me the argument about current drain on the vehicle's electrical system. If mechanical sirens are better, smaller units with less current draw can be installed or a vehicle's electrical system can be modified to handle a mechanical siren.

The only way I'll be convinced that the Q siren is not a fad or tradition is if mechanical sirens spread to other emergency vehicles.

[breakerbreaker]

If mechanical sirens are so much better, then why don't other emergency services still use them? Mechanical Q sirens used to be quite common on ambulances in the 1960s, and police departments used Federal 66s, 28s, and other smaller mechanical sirens.

Why mechanical for fire engines and electronic for everything else? All emergency services are important, and if mechanical sirens are more 'effective', wouldn't it make sense for all emergency vehicles to have them? And don't give me the argument about current drain on the vehicle's electrical system. If mechanical sirens are better, smaller units with less current draw can be installed or a vehicle's electrical system can be modified to handle a mechanical siren.

The only way I'll be convinced that the Q siren is not a fad or tradition is if mechanical sirens spread to other emergency vehicles.

They were removed from MOST Ambulance and Police vehicles for a couple reasons. First reason: Even a smaller version would be a huge draw on the electrical system, and by the time you reduced the size of the siren to something that the vehicle could manage, an electronic siren would be just as effective.

The second reason is vehicle size. A 2000 lb. police cruiser and a 3000 lb. Ambulance are SLIGHTLY easier to maneuvre than a 15 Tonne pumper or a 30 Tonne Ladder. Same reason that it's usually only Fire apparatus that are outfitted with Opticom pre-emption devices. Where cops and 'ambulance drivers' can scoot through tight traffic, and accelerate and brake fairly effectively, we do not share a similar luxury.

[fireenginenut]

They were removed from MOST Ambulance and Police vehicles for a couple reasons. First reason: Even a smaller version would be a huge draw on the electrical system, and by the time you reduced the size of the siren to something that the vehicle could manage, an electronic siren would be just as effective.

Sorry, I don't buy that argument. B&M makes sirens that draw less current than the Q, and the Timberwolf (now Eagle?) sirens also have less current drain. They are designed for use on other emergency vehicles too, not just fire engines. Federal used to make the 66 and 28 series, which are smaller sirens than the Q but draw less current and sound similar to the Q.

The second reason is vehicle size. A 2000 lb. police cruiser and a 3000 lb. Ambulance are SLIGHTLY easier to maneuvre than a 15 Tonne pumper or a 30 Tonne Ladder. Same reason that it's usually only Fire apparatus that are outfitted with Opticom pre-emption devices. Where cops and 'ambulance drivers' can scoot through tight traffic, and accelerate and brake fairly effectively, we do not share a similar luxury.

I don't buy this argument either. Some large cities have specialty police and EMS vehicles that are just as big as fire engines and they run electronic sirens only.

[breakerbreaker]

Sorry, I don't buy that argument. B&M makes sirens that draw less current than the Q, and the Timberwolf (now Eagle?) sirens also have less current drain. They are designed for use on other emergency vehicles too, not just fire engines. Federal used to make the 66 and 28 series, which are smaller sirens than the Q but draw less current and sound similar to the Q.



I don't buy this argument either. Some large cities have specialty police and EMS vehicles that are just as big as fire engines and they run electronic sirens only.


Allow me to dumb it down as you're clearly missing the boat on this one. To date, there is nothing available in terms of portable audible warning devices that rivals the full Federal Q siren in terms of reach and penetration. Eagle Sirens has come close, and is the new generation of electro-mechanical sirens, but they still do not have the same reach and penetration as the Q.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not a huge fan of the Q, and think there are other products out there such as the Screaming Eagle that do a good enough job. All i'm saying is that it is physically impossible to generate a square soundwave from an electronic siren control unit and speaker. Unfortunately technology still must obey the laws of physics, and to generate a sound wave that can travel and penetrate to any decent extent, there must be a mechanical device that moves air and generates this sound wave.

Does a person need to know a mile in advance that a rig is coming down the road? No. But next time you're driving in your car and hear an electronic siren, espcially if it's coming from behind you, i can guarantee when you check your mirrors, the apparatus won't be far behind you, which is too late to pull off safely. A siren such as the Eagle siren is a happy medium, where it's creating the square soundwave and providing warning much further in advance, but also isn't quite the noise nuisance as a Q is.

[fireenginenut]

Many US fire departments use a combination of mechanical and electronic sirens on their trucks. The electronic is always going and they just give the mechanical the odd blast here and there to make a little more noise.

Besides my opinion that mechanical sirens sound antiquated, I don't like the fact that the mechanical siren is manually controlled. I find this especially irritating when trucks are running with mechanical sirens only.

On a fire engine, the siren should always be going, and it should be a continuous and even rising and falling wail tone. Mechanical sirens can be modified for such operation by adding a speed regulating device that sends pulses of electric current to the motor, just like an air raid siren. If the device fails, operators could revert back to manual control.

[PNEFD]

Pat attention to when they use that "odd blast to make a little more noise" it's usually approaching intersections, blind corners, and in heavy traffic area's, and the Q is usually accompanied by the air horns at the same times.

It's not just US Dept's, most of us operate this way.

[breakerbreaker]

On a fire engine, the siren should always be going, and it should be a continuous and even rising and falling wail tone.

The residents of your area must love you for that. There is such thing as common sense. Ie. When we're toned out at 3 a.m. for difficulty breathing, and the streets are bare, the only time you'll hear the siren is if we're approaching traffic or a red light. The people sleeping soundly in bed do not need to know we're coming down the street. You can argue provincial regulations 'till you're blue in the face, but I haven't run across a crew around here that doesn't use a bit of discretion with the siren.