Bloomington Fire Department: Rumbler Siren

The Challenge

Whether we are walking on the sidewalk or driving a car, we are always listening to something --  the radio, a podcast, our favorite album, and so on. Our headphones and cars are constantly improving, and noise cancellation is a feature everyone appreciates. These advancements; however, are also why emergency vehicles surprise us when they fly past. We probably had no idea they were even there.

We all love to focus on our preferred audio, and technology helps us get there, but how are our emergency responders supposed to navigate a crowded street if no one can hear them?

The Idea

Older sirens are not enough to keep citizens informed and aware of the presence of emergency vehicles. Fire Chief Jason Moore sought innovative ways to alert pedestrians and drivers alike to oncoming emergency vehicles. Studies pointed to a different kind of siren, and Chief Moore investigated. The solution was to add a bass siren, known as a “rumbler” siren, to produce lower frequencies that cut through typical noise cancelling technology.

The low sounds these sirens make are not only useful for getting past noise cancelling technology, they do  not immediately sound like the emergency vehicles we have heard all our lives, so we pay more attention.

The Cost

The “rumbler” sirens cost $800 each and last the entire lifespan of the emergency vehicle with little to no maintenance.

The Benefit

What are the benefits from the “rumbler” siren?

• More civilian awareness of emergency vehicles.

• A reduction in response time for emergency vehicles.

• A reduction in near misses in intersections and crosswalks.

• A cross-department siren option for alerting the public to emergency vehicles.

Metadata

City Department(s): Fire Department

City Department Point(s) of Contact: Fire Chief Jason Moore

Partner(s): Owens ERS/OCI Communication

Partner Point(s) of Contact: Shane and Jake

Date Implemented: September 2016