Night Time Emergency Services Using Their Sirens

Ldpk91 on 13/12/2023 - 22:42
Last edited 14/12/2023 - 10:18 by 1 other user

Hi OzBargainers,

We live in the city with a 6 month old child. Being the city there is obviously a lot going on at all times. Including night time. I accept this and as soon as we can we will move out to somewhere quieter.

What I don’t understand is why after nightfall, the emergency services use their sirens. Surely if it is dark the emergency lights on their vehicles are enough in residential areas. It’s dark so the lights can be seen very easily. Maybe half a dozen times a night a siren goes directly past our bedroom window waking our baby. I know in the UK the emergency cannot use their sirens after dark in build up areas. And my friends partner works in the firies says it is the same here in Aus.

I have two questions here. Am I reading this wrong and it is totally acceptable for them to use sirens after night fall? And if it is not acceptable what can I actually do about it? I’m sure we are not the only ones this noise made by the people who essentially are there to help us are making.

Look forward to reading your comments. Thanks

Home & Garden

Comments

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 13/12/2023 - 22:47
    +229

    Really?

    • brendanm on 13/12/2023 - 23:32
      +19

      DashCam AKA Rolts - Threads have been terrible lately, really highlighting the worst in society, at least it can't get any worse.

      OP - Hold my beer!

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 14/12/2023 - 07:57
        +1

        This week has been a real doozy yea

        • pegaxs on 14/12/2023 - 10:57
          +13

          I'm only here because it's just another "came for the confirmation bias, stayed for the roasting"

          InB4: OP changing the title and post to call everyone a bad name, a mod restoring the title and post, more roasting, OP going DeletedUser123446 and the thread getting locked.

          • Jimothy Wongingtons on 14/12/2023 - 11:01
            +4

            @pegaxs: I am still laughing about old mate yesterday who said

            I'm starting to get sick of dealing with international students (and their bullshit)

            Then had to edit it out of original post after the roasting

      • Randolph Duke on 17/12/2023 - 18:46

        Looks like the rage bait bots are migrating from Reddit

    • siresteelhell on 15/12/2023 - 21:12
      +3

      Has to be a Troll post huh? surely…..i worry about humanity lately..2 day old account an an idiotic post… me thinks yes

    • nobro25 on 18/12/2023 - 16:03

      I have lunatic kids screaming downstairs in the playground right next to the apartment. Road traffic and Sirens are a white noise even in 5 am in he morning it doesn't faze me.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 13/12/2023 - 22:49
    +28

    A lot of people driving hardly use their mirrors, the sirens grab their attention.

    • Vater Woods on 17/12/2023 - 13:37
      -2

      I for one can attest that Boroondara Police are the worst I have experienced.

      For the period I lived there, every night between 2am to 4 am, they will turn on their siren alone Belmore Road, Between Burke Road and Balwyn Road.

      But the fact is, along that stretch of Belmore, after 11pm, there is barely any traffic, you are lucky to see a car on road every minute, and after 2 am, you are lucky to see a car on road for every half hour.
      And that stretch of the road is so straight, lighting is good with clear view, you can see a cyclists 500 metres out at night.

      That is absolutely no need for siren at that time, at that spot.

      • User76 on 17/12/2023 - 21:12
        +1

        I wonder if its to do with a certain callout they are doing, and not to clear traffic in front of them but prevent anyone suddenly coming out in front of them while they are flooring it. So maybe just standard procedure, if its a X call, you do Y and Z.. usually they don't introduce exceptions to procedures to keep things simple.
        Just thinking…

        • Vater Woods on 17/12/2023 - 22:32
          +1

          For the 3 years I lived there, they do it almost every single night, I doubt Balwyn and North Balwyn is a high crime area that need police call out every single night.

          The property I lived in is about 600 metres north of Belmore Rd, just imagine how many residents was waken up by them in the 600 metre radius, easily thousands.

          • vv4rhead on 18/12/2023 - 15:47

            @Vater Woods: This is interesting because until a few months ago i lived on the other side of belmore (for around 2.5 years) around 400m from belmore road, and i rarely if ever heard police sirens, balwyn road is a common fire truck route but they only use the sirens if someone is in their way which isn't too common after dark, HWP and regular police will both occasionally have the cherries and berries going but rarely use a siren at night. The only time i can recall there being any significant amount of siren usage was when the house on ?yongala? street burned down. Most of the crashes seem to occur on balwyn road and usually the responders don't have their sirens on, just the lights.

    • ESEMCE on 19/12/2023 - 15:59
      +1

      I was following a driver this morning who had their rear vision mirror at a 45 degree angle.
      Like instead of being like
      _

      it was more like

      \

      I'm pretty sure they had it angled so they could (only?) see their kid in the backseat, cause who needs to see behind the car anyway!

  • rumblytangara on 13/12/2023 - 22:51
    +22

    WTF.

    Maybe half a dozen times a night a siren goes directly past our bedroom window waking our baby.

    Where on earth (in Oz) do you live. And you are complaining about this now when you had close to a year (i.e. at least nine months if not more because of planning) to sort this out?

    • holdenmg on 13/12/2023 - 23:21
      +4

      Kings Cross?
      Redfern?
      St Kilda?

      Look at Double Glazing?

      • pharkurnell on 14/12/2023 - 11:27
        -3

        Look at Double Glazing?

        doesnt work :(

        • DashCam AKA Rolts on 14/12/2023 - 18:25
          +40

          Have to have it installed. Looking isn't going to help.

          • pharkurnell on 14/12/2023 - 19:49
            -2

            @DashCam AKA Rolts: doesnt work at my joint.

            • DashCam AKA Rolts on 14/12/2023 - 20:17
              +8

              @pharkurnell: Ours works great, we're only about 5m from the kerb and get a lot of people parking for the nearby pub and cafes. I reckon the double glazed windows dropped the noise level by 90%.
              We did go for 10mm + 5mm glazing combo.

            • TheRealCher on 16/12/2023 - 00:58
              +2

              @pharkurnell: Switch to a bong

      • lgacb08 on 15/12/2023 - 20:21

        Flemmington?

    • siresteelhell on 15/12/2023 - 21:14
      +1

      troll OP

  • c64 on 13/12/2023 - 22:54
    +30

    move to a suburb with less gangland shootouts?

  • Hybroid on 13/12/2023 - 22:56
    +25

    I know in the UK the emergency cannot use their sirens after dark in build up areas.

    Incorrect. They can use them at any time they see fit. They are encouraged to use 'restraint' at night and to be considerate of others but absolutely can and do use them at night when required.

    Same applies here. City is busy at all hours. Traffic, buses, bikes, deliveries, pedestrians, scooters, everything buzzing around. When an emergency vehicle is rushing around, immediate safety is more important.

    I lived in the city for over 5 years and never felt this was an issue. Maybe you're very close vicinity to a police/fire station so get caught when they depart from base or something.

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 13/12/2023 - 23:00
      +2

      The real reason why OP is complaining;

      Maybe half a dozen times a night a siren goes directly past our bedroom window waking our baby.

      • Hybroid on 13/12/2023 - 23:03
        +1

        Living ground floor in the city? That's brave.

      • Mechz on 13/12/2023 - 23:03
        -6

        Sucked in for being a breeder I guess.

        • Drpepper666 on 14/12/2023 - 13:50
          +13

          Found the Redditor

          • Mechz on 14/12/2023 - 16:24
            -4

            @Drpepper666: Incorrect, I've been against it since well before that cesspit existed.

            • Sinnerator on 17/12/2023 - 08:33
              +4

              @Mechz: hey, the site I help make a cesspit is not a cesspit

    • whatgift on 18/12/2023 - 15:16

      Where I live in Travancore the emergency vehicles often stop their sirens when sitting at traffic lights or when on a dedicated tram path.

  • jv on 13/12/2023 - 23:00
    +60

    What I don’t understand is why after nightfall, the emergency services use their sirens.

    So they don't kill someone on the road.

    • payless69 on 15/12/2023 - 16:52
      +1

      Move to Tasmania, they DO love roadkill!

    • Dreamcast on 16/12/2023 - 06:51
      +24

      Most sensible JV comment of 2023.

    • No ONE on 17/12/2023 - 13:35
      +9

      I didn't expect such reply from JV. Normally, it would be its Dan's fault.

  • Mechz on 13/12/2023 - 23:02
    +3

    Lots of shops have lights, flashing, sometimes red and blue. Especially around xmas. People also wear headphones and stare at phones while walking the streets and crossing intersections.

    Just move already, you won't (and shouldn't) win this battle.

  • Muzeeb on 13/12/2023 - 23:03
    +50

    Lives in city. Complains about noise. FFS.

    • THL on 17/12/2023 - 23:11
      +3

      Live in city - too much siren
      Live in suburbs - too many birds chirping
      Live in regional - frogs, Kookaburra, bats

      I suggest OP move to outer space or underground bunker

      • Seraphin7 on 18/12/2023 - 15:45
        +2

        I suggest OP move to outer space or underground bunker

        Not enough nightlife.

  • mr fox on 13/12/2023 - 23:29
    +33

    Very little compassion in this thread. OP - siren use is at the discretion of the driver, if your home is near an intersection it makes sense that when approaching a red light emergency vehicles use their sirens to proceed. To do so with only flashing lights is arguably negligent and contravenes state legislation. Open stretches of road lend themselves just to lights, but the city with its heavy traffic, distracted pedestrians and frequent intersections will require a fair bit of lights and siren use to be safe.

    Time to embrace suburban bliss I'd say!

  • Nutrino on 14/12/2023 - 02:25
    +23

    Get rid of the baby.

    • digitalbath on 15/12/2023 - 16:30
      +24

      Agree. Adopt it out to people with some actual brain cells so it doesn’t end up like its parents.

      • Minimum chips on 16/12/2023 - 09:52
        +13

        [Freebie] Infant human. ($0 C&C/$15 shipping) @ OzBargain Forums.

      • ChatCPT on 18/12/2023 - 08:34
        +3

        Every child deserves a parents but not every parent deserves a child

  • Forfiet on 14/12/2023 - 03:54
    +2

    I sympathise that you are dealing with a baby in its most 'fussy' faze, but you now know its a long term issue so maybe like previously suggested try looking into Double Glazing……

    I have the joy of living in the suburbs of metro SA with the police helicopter doing semi-regular callouts….

    They may be looking for someone/something in a particular rd or suburb, but the surrounding 3 or 4 suburbs also get to enjoy the sound plus wake turbulence vibrating the houses….. especially in the AM hours….. :(

    • Guesty on 18/12/2023 - 16:36
      +1

      Helicopters and roundabouts, the very bain of South Aussies

  • Sal in SA on 14/12/2023 - 04:48
    +16

    Poor child…it has no hope.

  • Dollar General on 14/12/2023 - 06:53
    +30

    Blind people driving can’t see the flashing lights

    • OzzyOzbourne on 16/12/2023 - 18:07
      +1

      More common than you might think!

  • Ugly on 14/12/2023 - 06:57
    +2

    And then we have https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/698894

    (Previous topic from another user complaining that sirens are not used enough).

    • brendanm on 14/12/2023 - 07:42
      +8

      The duality of ozbargain.

    • Gnostikos on 15/12/2023 - 17:58
      +1

      I'm waiting for the goldilocks thread with the title "Emergency Services Using Their Sirens At An Acceptable Rate" to complete the trilogy.

  • CurlCurl on 14/12/2023 - 07:12
    +20

    If your baby needs an ambulance at night, I guess it's ok for the paramedics to not use their siren to reach you and take your baby to hospital.

  • distemper on 14/12/2023 - 07:33
    +1

    Just wondering if the sirens were already there when you moved into your place and if that was the case then like some others you should look at double glazing and or a big brick wall between the street and your house

    • Assburg on 16/12/2023 - 10:30
      +1

      Ambulances didn't exist or people didn't need emergency help before OP lived there for this to be plausible.

      I realise there's a third option, which is that there wasn't a hospital there before but both the discovery of ambulances and the advent of emergencies seem more likely to come about as time goes on, and government infrastructure projects tend to take forever, so it's just very implausible that the hospital would be the first to occur.

  • try2bhelpful on 14/12/2023 - 07:50
    +1

    If you own your place look at double glazing. If you have another bedroom further from the street use that. We have made ourselves thermal curtains using a couple of sheets with a Doona between them. Something like that might muffle the noise a bit.

  • holdenmg on 14/12/2023 - 08:03
    +5

    Does the 6 month old child ever wake up at night when there is no Night time Emergency Services activity?

  • Porker on 14/12/2023 - 08:47
    +3

    OP, would you rather emergency services get to you (if required) as quickly as they can or as respectful to other non-emergency-requiring people?

    ".. Sorry we were late, we didn't use our sirens and the traffic up ahead didn't clear in time because there was a truck blocking direct vision to us. Had we had our sirens on, at least those other cars might have been more aware to look for us…"

  • mrkorrupt on 14/12/2023 - 08:48
    +6

    The OP brain is cooked, like WTF the emergency services aren't driving around the hood pumping their siren as they try to pull chicks and show off their vehicles and driving skills. They are trying to save lives and here you are complaining, do you honestly have no shame? I hope for your sake you never need them and if you do, please tell them to turn the siren off as they drive

  • EarlSquirellson on 14/12/2023 - 08:55

    I can definitely relate to the frustration of nurses waking your children up, I thought I'd mention something we used to try cover noises especially if we had guests over for dinner was a white noise machine. Obviously it can only be so loud and may not be enough to be any help with ambulance sirens but might be worth considering as it is pretty low cost.

  • Arnold1 on 14/12/2023 - 10:21
    +3

    LOL

  • SuperMick on 14/12/2023 - 10:36
    +1

    I went to visit my sister a few years ago. She lived in Peckham, a suburb of London. We were there for a week and all night the police were driving past with their sirens going and their lights flashing. Its part of living in a city.

  • Andy b on 14/12/2023 - 10:36
    +3

    um, you can

    1.) move
    2.) get used to it, your baby will.
    3.) put triple pain windows in, and some block out blinds.

    imagine what it is like for people in tents

    • Assburg on 16/12/2023 - 10:31
      +1

      I think the extra glass might reduce some of OPs pain.

  • pegaxs on 14/12/2023 - 10:44
    +19

    This is peak "bUt mUh cHiLdReNz! WoNt sOmEoNe tHiNk oV tHa cHiLdReNz!"

    Yeah, I'm with you, (fropanity) those people that need emergency services after your child has gone to bed. No respect. Can't they die during waking hours??

    Have you tried submitting your child's sleep schedule to the emergency services??

    Parents of newborns are insufferable…

    • fullmetal on 16/12/2023 - 12:44
      +1

      OP is the main characters here.

    • Windows7forever on 17/12/2023 - 18:17
      +1

      Brilliant sarcasm lol

  • Drakesy on 14/12/2023 - 11:10
    +10

    OP's next post.

    "Ambulance took too long to get to my house and couldn't save my child
    why weren't they faster!?! I'm going to write to my local member and complain."

    Ozbargain: ¯_(ツ)_/¯

    • pharkurnell on 14/12/2023 - 11:24
      +1

      You beat me to it…

    • brendanm on 14/12/2023 - 22:02
      +4

      \

      • jsediv on 15/12/2023 - 17:15
        +5

        Someone call an Ambulance, his arms fallen off

  • pharkurnell on 14/12/2023 - 11:25
    +2

    I've seen people sitting in the fast lane with an ambo/firey behind them, lights, bells and whistles going, horn blasting and they wont move out of the way…

    I say bring on the daffy duck disintegration ray…

  • Ozbar Gain on 14/12/2023 - 12:16
    +3

    This sounds frustrating, OP. You should make a plan so that both parents and baby can get a good night's sleep. Chronically interrupted sleep does not do your mental health any favours and its already hard enough with a young one. Good luck!

  • DingoBilly on 14/12/2023 - 12:35
    -4

    There's not a lot of sympathy here, not sure why.

    Having lived near a station myself it really sucks and you're completely right - it makes no sense why they use sirens during the middle of the night. Talking with a friend, it is quite discretionary unfortunately - many services will use their sirens needlessly at night, while others are a bit more mindful and considerate. There's also the matter that people get moved around between areas, and so if they're new to an area they just don't know when it's appropriate to use sirens and when it's not.

    Having said all that, there's not much you can do beyond what is suggested here. Either get used to it, move, or install better noise insulation.

    • pegaxs on 14/12/2023 - 12:46
      +6

      There's not a lot of sympathy here, not sure why.

      Could it have anything to do with OP chosing to live in a city with hundreds of thousands of other people in a confined area and then complain that people needing an ambulance is an inconvenience to their child's sleep patterns…

      You reap what you sow. It's like kicking an own goal and wondering why the crowd aren't cheering with you.

      • pharkurnell on 14/12/2023 - 19:54
        +3

        Pretty sure this is a troll thread anyway

        The fishing aint bad though

    • gromit on 16/12/2023 - 07:56

      It is blatantly obvious why they use the sirens, night time doesn't suddenly make people more aware, sirens like the lights are a warning. Too many distracted drivers and people wandering around staring at their phones. Without the sirens many more people would die from delayed arrival of emergency services or people getting killed in an accident as they didn't see the flashing lights coming.

    • ceroau on 18/12/2023 - 11:46

      it makes no sense why they use sirens during the middle of the night

      Except, it makes complete sense. Especially this time of year. This is why there no sympathy for you or OP. It obvious to anyone who took 5 seconds to think about what was being said to understand that most the time the sirens would be used as a necessity at night especially in a place like the city.

  • pharkurnell on 14/12/2023 - 12:42
    +2

    it makes no sense why they use sirens during the middle of the night

    Yes it does… to get morons out of the way. There are still people out and about after dark to dawn.

  • AustriaBargain on 14/12/2023 - 13:40

    Leave the radio on to cover background noise. Or play like waterfall sounds or white noise. You'll get used to that background noise pretty quick.

  • Drpepper666 on 14/12/2023 - 13:51
    +2

    Sucks to be you lol

  • Cluster on 14/12/2023 - 13:52

    In my area emergency services only tend to use sirens when required, rather than at any time the cherries and berries are on. Have you observed ambulances going down your road and if there is any traffic they're trying to get through?

    It also depends how busy the road is, and at what time of night. I know some nightlife areas of my city always see full lights and sirens blaring, as there are so many drunk people around who can walk out onto the street at any time.

  • Euphemistic on 14/12/2023 - 18:34

    They only use them when they think it’s necessary. It’s a noise issue for the people on board too.

  • digitalbath on 15/12/2023 - 16:28
    +9

    Wow. This might be the dumbest, most entitled thing I have ever read in my life.

  • Dack Smith on 15/12/2023 - 16:37
    +3

    I suppose it had to happen sometime…

    Taking stupidity and entitlement to a whole new level in this post

    It’s a race to the bottom now

    • digitalbath on 15/12/2023 - 20:19
      +1

      Unfortunately though, we are all going to lose.

  • tomleonhart on 15/12/2023 - 18:21

    Has anyone mentioned bikies yet ? Those ambo, Fireys, doggos dare using their sirens….

  • Miss B on 15/12/2023 - 19:28
    +4

    I always hear the sirens before I see the lights, when that happens I start figuring out where I can get out of the way if it's coming my way. By the time I see the lights and if I need to move I'm ready to get out of the way. This would save precious time in an emergency. I think rather than making it harder for emergency vehicles in an emergency it's best to figure out solutions for yourselves and others can do the same.

    Do you play any background noise while baby is sleeping? It can reduce the impact of other noises going on. Make noise generally when baby is sleeping so they get used to noises while they are sleeping - do dishes, vacuum, etc. Google ways you can reduce noise getting in from outside.

  • mrvaluepack on 15/12/2023 - 19:43
    +2

    This sounds like a sus Chatgpt post lol.

  • thesilverstarman on 15/12/2023 - 20:14
    +5

    This has to be a joke?
    Surely nobody could be so self-centred to think that they are more important than emergency services on their way to save a life. If you don't like the noise then move. The world does not revolve around you.

  • Al09 on 15/12/2023 - 20:24
    +2

    What a sad topic… What has the world turned too …. Bunch of whingers and pathethic people that cant deal with simple problems…

  • Spootage on 15/12/2023 - 20:26
    +1

    Wow… that’s all I can say without being mean and coping a ban.

    • siresteelhell on 15/12/2023 - 21:14

      nvm,,, its a troll post from a 2 day account…lets not feed the troll

  • Zapwap on 15/12/2023 - 22:05
    +1

    More than sirens, I guess now all these comments will keep OP up at night!! Nighty night OP!

  • Sammy Boi on 15/12/2023 - 22:29
    +2

    Hey look another person that should be shot into space to further research

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