Firehouse Pole's Please Read

[Fire737]

Just wondering what you have to do to get a question into the Firepole's. I have sent numerous emails wanting to have this topic asked about and replied on. I have emailed firehouse but still have not seen the pole yet. Please help me out. I want to know what kind of sirens your department is running on their fire apparatus.
1. Windup Sirens (ie: Federal Q)
2. Electronic Siren
3. Windup and Electronic together.
I know alot of the departments here in Utah use an electronic siren and windup combination. They run the electronic and switch between diffent tones then when they come to traffic hit the windup. I need some input as to why one is better than the other. I feel windups are better at moving traffic but our members disagree and think electronic is the way to go. What do all of you feel is the best siren?

[ 11-05-2001: Message edited by: Fire737 ]

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: Fire737 ]

[firekid519]

On our first due engine we have both, windup and electric. On all of our other appratus we have only electric sirens. Personally, I like the windup / electric combination the best. Nothing clears traffic like the windup and some airhorns.

[BillyMott]

WE have just recently gone back to the Federal-Q/ electric siren combination. I can see a huge difference in the attention getting department since we have made this move. The electric sirens just don't have the punch needed to invade the privacy of a vehicle. I have found this true even with my windows open and sitting at a dead stop with the emergency vehicle coming towards me. Maybe we can get a stereo manufacturer to come up with a kickass boom boom rattle your teeth and window style siren for once, and give us a chance to compete with the younger generation.

[FF41230]

We have both Q2b sirens and elctronic sirens. We use the Q's more though

[tc1chief]

My units other than the Chief's car and Mini-pumper run combination of electronics and Federal "Q". The way that I have always understood the siren theory and this was conveyed to me by an older chief that I respected was as follows:

1. If you hear an electronic siren just on wail and yelp 90% of the times its a Police car.

2. If you hear an electronic siren on wail, yelp, and Hi/Low 90% of the time its an ambulance.

3. No matter how many or how much electronic sirens that you hear when you hear that "Big Q" wind up you know that is a big fire truck and you need to get out of its way.

[IJHumberson]

I gotta agree with TC1Chief, when you hear that "Q" you know it's probably fire apparatus headed your way (I say probably because a lot of companies around this area now have Q's on their abulances). I just happened to be in traffic near Rockville a week or so ago and saw Squad 3 and Ambulance 39 responding to a motor vehicle collision - I heard the Q on the Squad WAY before I could hear the electronic siren - can't convince me the electronics are better!
The company I volunteer with runs both on our apparatus (electronics are a little less disturbing in the middle of the night when you don't really have traffic to move).

Just my 2 cents on the subject.

[BFD847]

There is nothing like a Q wailing in the distance. Our first out engine has Q and air horns. We had combination of electric and wind up for a while.

Nothings perfect expecially with new cars and overpowered car stereos.

Best defense while responding is sitting on the drivers shoulders. As long as they use it.

[Adze39]

We run with both. Most people, however, only use the Q in traffic, intersections, and curves.

[enginecappy]

Just put the specs together on a new pumper....we're going with both this time.

Fed Q & a Whelen Electronic....