Sirens too loud????

[Kcfireman]

    I live in the River market at Bridgeworks and work at the Fire Station across the street.  I have had several people come up to me and ask if it was necessary that we turn the sirens on when we leave the Engine House????  Maybe I don't get it, but why in gods name would anyone move downtown or to an urban area and bitch about the noises that come with the location?  Do people not realize that when we pull out of the Fire House with lights and sirens, the last thing we could care about is people getting upset because we disturbed their nights sleep?  The people's tax dollers pay for us to respond to 911 calls for help which require lights and sirens.

Sorry about the rant, I just would like some feedback on these thoughts.

[kcteen]

Hey Kcfireman,

I live across from a firestation in Johnson County--directly across the street. During the day, when the engines leave, they usually do turn on the sirens immediately when pulling out of the station. At night, however, it is a different story. They never turn on the sirens until they are around 4-5 blocks away from the station. I think at night they used discretion to be repectful to the neighborhood if it did not interfere with their job.

Also, Not that this is 100% relevant, but when I lived in Europe (in a dense city) it was VERY rare for ambulances, firetrucks and policecars to turn on their sirens unless they were going through intersections or if there was sufficient traffic. At night they almost never traveled with sirens on.

I guess the question you should ask yourself is: Is it really necessary to turn on the sirens when pulling out of the station? If it is necesssary, do it! It's your job! Don't think twice about it! But if it's late, there is no traffic, and you can be respectful of the people living across the street...then consider pursuing that as an option as well.

-kcteen who is no longer a teen

[Kcfireman]

Thank you for your thoughts.  However isn't it going to wake people up no matter what, whats the difference if its right across the street or 4-5 blocks away?

This may also off subject but Johnson County is also typically a defensive fire department, meaning they for the most part fight fires from the outside (which really only does more damage and pushes the fire through the rest of the building).  We are typically more of an aggressive fire department, meaning unless the building is on the verge of collapsing we go inside and fight the fire to save and protect the tax payers property.  Johnson County will go on by telling you that they will go in if a person is trapped, and not if its a vacant.  Our philosophy is......how do you know a building is vacant unless its searched, which can't be done without going in.  My point nationwide we are a much more respected Fire Department, and I believe we earned that respect by doing the things we do.  Which is kicking ass after responding as safe and fast as possible, and that can't be done responding Non-Emergency or standing out in the front yard spraying water through a window.

[KCLofts]

The fire station was there before the first Bridgeworks unit was sold.  If your neighbors weren't smart enough to deduce that there might be some noise issues related to this, then it's their own problem.

I live a couple blocks west on 5th ST and you guys are always screaming down Independence Ave, right underneath my windows.  Although I didn't specifically think about the siren issue, or research the closest station, it doesn't really bother me.  I consider it part of city living, along with all of the other noises.  After a couple years, I'm quite used to it all.

[Kcfireman]

The fire station was there before the first Bridgeworks unit was sold.  If your neighbors weren't smart enough to deduce that there might be some noise issues related to this, then it's their own problem.

I live a couple blocks west on 5th ST and you guys are always screaming down Independence Ave, right underneath my windows.  Although I didn't specifically think about the siren issue, or research the closest station, it doesn't really bother me.  I consider it part of city living, along with all of the other noises.  After a couple years, I'm quite used to it all.

I totally agree you.

[kcdcchef]

    I live in the River market at Bridgeworks and work at the Fire Station across the street.  I have had several people come up to me and ask if it was necessary that we turn the sirens on when we leave the Engine House????  Maybe I don't get it, but why in gods name would anyone move downtown or to an urban area and bitch about the noises that come with the location?  Do people not realize that when we pull out of the Fire House with lights and sirens, the last thing we could care about is people getting upset because we disturbed their nights sleep?  The people's tax dollers pay for us to respond to 911 calls for help which require lights and sirens.

Sorry about the rant, I just would like some feedback on these thoughts.

you know kcfireman, i say FU*& THAT. if you want to live in the city, then f*&ing deal with it. or perhaps if it was their place on fire somewhere, that 3 seconds of flying that much faster with lights on and sirens blaring, maybe would have made a difference for them, then they would think differently. you rent and or buy in the city, you get those "headaches".

but, they are headaches in name only. you get used to it after a while. when i moved to 910 penn from the west side, the train sirens and clatter going on all through the night would ALWAYS wake me up at first. or when i moved to dupont in dc, 1 block from the 11th precinct, the police sirens would always wake me up. but, in both cases, i got used to it.

people visiting me downtown kc would always remark how it was different for them. because they lived in independence, or buckner, or blue springs, and it was "cool" to spend the night with me on the 11th floor, we would hear the trains all night, the traffic coming in and out of richards gebaur, all that. and they always remarked how cool it was.

as far as living across the street from a fire station, ummm, how could you have missed it when looking at the place? unless the people doing the bitching are visually impaired, there is no excuse for bitching about something so rudamentary.

[bahua]

I've been emailed about the swearing. Please ease off on it.

[lock+load]

I can handle the sirens...what is totally obnoxious is the metal plate in the middle of the intersection.  Everytime a bus or any vehicle for that matter drives over it, it sounds like two rapid gunshots.  That is what you need when you are sleeping.  Who knew the sound from one metal plate could travel so far

[sethyg]

I live in 523 Grand and it doesn't bother me a bit.  It seems that sometimes the sirens are barely used and sometimes they're blaring -- I assume that's because of the severity of the call.  Not that I enjoy hearing the sirens, but that's a part of being down here.  If I'm watching TV, all I have to do is pause it for 5 seconds and then I'm fine.  People have to complain about something... but you guys are doing this city some kick ass service, ignore 'em!

[dangerboy]

Seems like part of the problem with this and other issues is that the lofts have drawn lots of folks from the suburbs who don't always have a complete picture of what to expect in the city.  Noise, grit, bums, etc. aren't  included in the glossy brochures along with the granite countertops and Sub Zero appliances.

[kcdcchef]

I've been emailed about the swearing. Please ease off on it.

yours or mine?

Seems like part of the problem with this and other issues is that the lofts have drawn lots of folks from the suburbs who don't always have a complete picture of what to expect in the city. Noise, grit, bums, etc. aren't included in the glossy brochures along with the granite countertops and Sub Zero appliances.

you know something danger, when i was moving into 910 penn they used to have this picture of 910 penn in their lobby that showed the building against a beautiful backdrop of a sunset, and a homeless dude was actually leaning against the building in the shot. how they missed that, i will never know.

but like you said with the burbs people who come into these neighborhoods, they do not realize that with the city, you get the city noise. just because dtkc was abandoned for so many years, does not mean it is as silent as the cemetery it so long resembled.

[scooterj]

I hear the sirens tear down 3rd Street every time the West Bottoms catch fire or whatever else happens that sends you down 3rd... that's about 100 feet away through a single pane of glass, and I hardly even notice it at all.  I feel a lot safer knowing that if I set my place on fire you guys are gonna be here in about a minute.  Can't get that in most places!    And even with your sirens on, I still think the trains are louder.

If you guys didn't turn them on within at least a block of the fire station, traffic on Grand would have no time to be aware that you're coming.

[Paintfumes]

maybe if you write your councilman they could move the fire station to another building. You shouldn't turn on your sirens until you're away from where people are living.

[kcdcchef]

maybe if you write your councilman they could move the fire station to another building. You shouldn't turn on your sirens until you're away from where people are living.

there is no way to respond to this comment without again getting a new green dot. man. but, i will try.

curious paintfumes, how do you wait to turn on sirens until you are away from people are living in downtown? the whole garsh darn area is full of buildings made into condos. ALL of downtown.

golly gee shucks.

[KCPowercat]

there is no way to respond to this comment without again getting a new green dot. man. but, i will try.

curious paintfumes, how do you wait to turn on sirens until you are away from people are living in downtown? the whole garsh darn area is full of buildings made into condos. ALL of downtown.

golly gee shucks.

Thank you.  This response is much more the kind that promotes the forum, not drag it down.

[Kcfireman]

maybe if you write your councilman they could move the fire station to another building. You shouldn't turn on your sirens until you're away from where people are living.

You obviously didn't put much thought into that statement.

Let me ask you this.  If your house catches on fire with you inside it.......Whould you want firetrucks responding Non-Emergency?

[GRID]

You obviously didn't put much thought into that statement.

Let me ask you this.  If your house catches on fire with you inside it.......Whould you want firetrucks responding Non-Emergency?

I don't care if I'm inside or not, blare the hell out of those sirens and get here asap, thanks, I personally would appreciate it.

[Gladstoner]

The damn tornado sirens are too loud too, but fortunately the roaring sound eventually drowns them out.

[Long]

Thank you.  This response is much more the kind that promotes the forum, not drag it down.

Plus, we were all thinking what chef really wanted to say anyway 

[mean]

I agree that sirens and such are just part of living in the city, and they don't really bother me, but I have to ask, if it's late at night and there's no traffic...what does it hurt to get 4-5 blocks away? Surely you don't go exactly the same route on every single call, so you'll be blaring the sirens outside different buildings. Spreading the love, so to speak. The people who live in the immediate vicinity of the station, on the other hand, have to hear it every single time there's a call. Just seems like a very minor thing that could make certain neighbors a lot happier.

Of course, that's just because I can't think of a compelling reason why they *must* be on immediately. Such a reason may very well exist that I'm not aware of.