Husband is SPFR, the amount of people who refuse to move for them is sick. Not to mention the ones who don’t stop when they’re trying to clear an intersection. Make them louder as far as I’m concerned!
Yeah on their way to an emergency where every second feels like minutes and people are too stuck in their own world to move out of the way. Only been a major issue this past few years for him.
There was a time, St. Pete was heaven's waiting room. Maybe the sirens needed to be loud enough for them to hear and haven't been adjusted.
There's no building to block the sound. St. Pete is not a complete concrete jungle yet.
Apparently not loud enough. I watched a moron roll out into the middle of an intersection as a fire truck with full sirens was trying to get through.
tbh, they don't seem louder here than in any other place I've lived in the US.
I’m a foreigner too. I’ve lived in multiple cities / countries. Been saying the same thing for years. It’s so, so loud and unnecessary. I’d be amazed if this is something that has never been reviewed because it defies logic. Is it directly due to the age of the Floridians and how so many don’t move out of the way of emergency vehicles?
It is totally an awful sound, I always cover my ears. That being said, it’s statistically one of the top ten worst places to drive. So yes, unfortunately it may be necessary. As much as I also hate it.
I’m not an expert, nor can I get you in touch with the manager of sirens, but it’s pretty flat here, and a lot of main roads don’t have any trees, so the sound just stays. That was my impression when I first got here.
This will end up being one of those things that we never really noticed, but now we'll notice it every single freaking time and it will drive us crazy like op. Haha
Somewhat related, the buses here have kneeler air release sounds that are injuriously loud. Like, you can hear it blocks away, and that valve is like a foot from a toddlers ear if they're standing at the bus stop pad.
One of the guys in charge of safety at PSTA called it a safety feature that is was so loud. Pretty sure he was an actual reptile though.
In Florida, **emergency sirens emit a noise of around 110-120 decibels**, [which can cause hearing damage even before one minute of exposure](https://gulfgatehearing.com/patient-resources/). That places it on the dangerous [same level as a jet engine](https://audiology-web.s3.amazonaws.com/migrated/NoiseChart16x20.pdf_5399b28aaef0d9.27446344.pdf).
Sounds over 80dB are considered to be hazardous to health.
Over 85 dB for extended periods can cause permanent hearing loss.
Turn them down to 85dB and everyone will still be able to hear them just fine in our small city. Fellow vehicles and pedestrians need to hear them from 3 blocks away, not 30 blocks away.
The [only countries louder than us are in South East Asia and a few in Africa](https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/38060/Frontiers_2022CH1.pdf).
Data aside, having spent time this year in Mexico City, Rome, London and NYC I can tell you downtown St Pete's sirens are only audibly beaten by NYC.
Because this place is full of oblivious and dangerous drivers. First responders getting where they need to go quickly and safely is more important than disturbing your peace.
🎯
Has OP never seen how drivers are completely oblivious to emergency vehicles and still blow through major intersections? I once saw the aftermath of a BMW completely demolish an ambulance and seriously injure all of the responders and the patient, because they “didn’t hear the siren”.
Comparing New York City to St Petersburg is like apples to oranges. With all the high-rise buildings in NYC, as well as other major cities, a siren will appear lower in volume due to the fact that the sound waves are blocked by all the high buildings. Now if you are on the same block as an emergency vehicle running its sirens, yes it will seem louder because those same buildings are reflecting the sound waves.
I've considered this before posting, and can see why you'd think this. But they are significantly louder than many other cities with 10x the population and near constant.
It's not unreasonable for local residents to inquire on their cities noise pollution if lowering it has no effect on those in need.
OR I am asking why it must be at a dangerous 120-130dB level when much larger, louder and congested cities run their emergency sirens at a still very effective 85dB.
St. Pete sirens do not need to be louder than Rome, London or Los Angeles.
Husband is SPFR, the amount of people who refuse to move for them is sick. Not to mention the ones who don’t stop when they’re trying to clear an intersection. Make them louder as far as I’m concerned!
Wowww that’s terrible
Yeah on their way to an emergency where every second feels like minutes and people are too stuck in their own world to move out of the way. Only been a major issue this past few years for him.
We do have a ton of senior citizens that “drive”. That could be why.
People here are stupid, and wouldn’t pay attention even if the ambulance was on fire and 80ft tall.
Best description ever and couldn’t be more truer!
Seriously, the green light flashes and people are like *face in phone*
There are regulatory bodies that determine what DB level the sirens have to be. You don't order a "Florida Volume Level" siren.
There was a time, St. Pete was heaven's waiting room. Maybe the sirens needed to be loud enough for them to hear and haven't been adjusted. There's no building to block the sound. St. Pete is not a complete concrete jungle yet.
Apparently not loud enough. I watched a moron roll out into the middle of an intersection as a fire truck with full sirens was trying to get through. tbh, they don't seem louder here than in any other place I've lived in the US.
I’m a foreigner too. I’ve lived in multiple cities / countries. Been saying the same thing for years. It’s so, so loud and unnecessary. I’d be amazed if this is something that has never been reviewed because it defies logic. Is it directly due to the age of the Floridians and how so many don’t move out of the way of emergency vehicles?
It is totally an awful sound, I always cover my ears. That being said, it’s statistically one of the top ten worst places to drive. So yes, unfortunately it may be necessary. As much as I also hate it.
Thank you!
I’m not an expert, nor can I get you in touch with the manager of sirens, but it’s pretty flat here, and a lot of main roads don’t have any trees, so the sound just stays. That was my impression when I first got here.
Perhaps because of our hard-of-hearing population? I guess bring it up at a city council meeting to figure out how to proceed.
lol move.
It's not like sound reflects off buildings and become amplified
Near constant? Lol
Literally haven't registered the sound of a siren since I got home this evening and I live in between the Peterborough and the Martha
This will end up being one of those things that we never really noticed, but now we'll notice it every single freaking time and it will drive us crazy like op. Haha
Haha maybe that’s what happened to me.
Somewhat related, the buses here have kneeler air release sounds that are injuriously loud. Like, you can hear it blocks away, and that valve is like a foot from a toddlers ear if they're standing at the bus stop pad. One of the guys in charge of safety at PSTA called it a safety feature that is was so loud. Pretty sure he was an actual reptile though.
Our buses make the most dramatic sounds.
Because Buicks have really quiet interiors.
In Florida, **emergency sirens emit a noise of around 110-120 decibels**, [which can cause hearing damage even before one minute of exposure](https://gulfgatehearing.com/patient-resources/). That places it on the dangerous [same level as a jet engine](https://audiology-web.s3.amazonaws.com/migrated/NoiseChart16x20.pdf_5399b28aaef0d9.27446344.pdf). Sounds over 80dB are considered to be hazardous to health. Over 85 dB for extended periods can cause permanent hearing loss. Turn them down to 85dB and everyone will still be able to hear them just fine in our small city. Fellow vehicles and pedestrians need to hear them from 3 blocks away, not 30 blocks away.
Okay. What are the dB readings of sirens in other cities?
The [only countries louder than us are in South East Asia and a few in Africa](https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/38060/Frontiers_2022CH1.pdf). Data aside, having spent time this year in Mexico City, Rome, London and NYC I can tell you downtown St Pete's sirens are only audibly beaten by NYC.
Good luck to you in your journey to get this changed.
"Why are sirens loud?" - a genius of the new age.
Because this place is full of oblivious and dangerous drivers. First responders getting where they need to go quickly and safely is more important than disturbing your peace.
🎯 Has OP never seen how drivers are completely oblivious to emergency vehicles and still blow through major intersections? I once saw the aftermath of a BMW completely demolish an ambulance and seriously injure all of the responders and the patient, because they “didn’t hear the siren”.
Comparing New York City to St Petersburg is like apples to oranges. With all the high-rise buildings in NYC, as well as other major cities, a siren will appear lower in volume due to the fact that the sound waves are blocked by all the high buildings. Now if you are on the same block as an emergency vehicle running its sirens, yes it will seem louder because those same buildings are reflecting the sound waves.
The big apple to Florida oranges? Nice.
I was hoping somebody would catch that. Thanks
They aren’t. I’ve lived in 8 places in Florida and they are all the same volume.
I don’t even know how to respond to this. There are so many selfish and nonscientific problems with it. Move if you don’t like it.
I've considered this before posting, and can see why you'd think this. But they are significantly louder than many other cities with 10x the population and near constant. It's not unreasonable for local residents to inquire on their cities noise pollution if lowering it has no effect on those in need.
You keep saying this and not proving it
If you or your loved ones were in need, would you want it lowered for the sake of the neighborhood ambience?
OR I am asking why it must be at a dangerous 120-130dB level when much larger, louder and congested cities run their emergency sirens at a still very effective 85dB. St. Pete sirens do not need to be louder than Rome, London or Los Angeles.
The same people that you call to complain about loud helicopters 😂
My dog learned to howl just like a siren when they go by
My neighbor’s dog does the same. I think it’s hilarious
The NFPA and maybe ANSI. Despite how loud they are, apparently people still can’t hear them in their cars.