Question regarding sirens in LA County

[BBot12]

Hi all,

Recently I've noticed that some LA county Sheriffs and fire trucks/ambulances have been driving with only their lights on and not their sirens. Is there some sort of stupid ordnance that put a restriction on driving with the sirens on?

While I'm in Cerritos I always notice that there's one idiot on the road who doesn't notice and hinders you guys when you're trying to get somewhere.. drives me crazy

[P5Ret]

The vehicle code says siren use as necessary, rarely did I ever run with it on all the time. It would seem rather counter productive to have an ordinance that limit's the use of a warning device on emergency vehicles.

The thing I have noticed with the new Ford's is that the siren volume seems to be a lot less than it was back when I was working. Don't know if it is because of placement, speaker size, or it's just been toned down by the manufacturer.

[Ron-Solo]

What? I couldn't hear your question, my hearing is shot from all the siren use over my career. The older cars sirens were mounted in the light bar and the sound proofing on the cars wasn't as good. Also, if you couldn't get the passenger window up working a one man car, all you could hear was sirens. (We would keep the passenger side window cracked to hear what was going on around us better.

In the old days, when rolling code 3 the siren was supposed to always be on. Now, many moons later, they are learning more about hearing damage and are given more discretion.

[SMarquez]

My experience when I was with L.A. County F.D. The captain runs the siren and air horn on the engine. The driver on the paramedic squad runs the siren, the passenger runs the Maserati horn. I would run the siren at least a couple hundred feet before an intersection. More in traffic. Way less if ever in the wee hours of the morning. You wouldn't want a siren running all the time at 3 a.m. now would you OP? I can't even remember if there was any kind of rules or standards in the FD driving manual now.

[BBot12]

I wouldn't mind it, just want to make sure that people don't get in your way while you're on the way to protect/save any of us

Really grateful for all the answers everyone! I really appreciate hearing from all of your past experiences

[P5Ret]

I wouldn't mind it, just want to make sure that people don't get in your way while you're on the way to protect/save any of us

Really grateful for all the answers everyone! I really appreciate hearing from all of your past experiences

Trust me a siren isn't a guarantee that people won't get in your way driving code. There were days the siren seemed like a magnet for every stupid driver on the road. I could usually get somewhere faster without a red light and just the PR lights on in the back cutting through traffic.

[esy]

Trust me a siren isn't a guarantee that people won't get in your way driving code.

Definitely not.

OP, there's something called the Siren Phenomenon/Doppler Effect. If a driver is going, say 40MPH, and doesn't see the patrol car running code behind him/her. The driver won't "hear" the siren until the patrol car is pretty much right at its bumper.

New cars now have different options to change up the siren's tone, especially at intersections, to "wake people up" so to speak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wsYT1PRjIg

Sirens aren't used unless it's super necessary (code 3 priority calls). Lights are usually good enough to get people to notice (i.e. vehicle stops) and if not, a quick blip of the siren.