Exactly when/how to use the siren?

[LightItUp98]

Hey guys, just started driving "hot" with lights and sirens and I was reaching out to you on how you typically use the siren. It sounds easy enough, but I've been told by my partner jokingly that I use it "crazily" and that I use too much air horn (electric and the REAL ones haha). I've honestly been modeling my siren work off of videos like the one below where I'll tap the manual a lot before coming to a light then switch really fast between wail and yelp a couple times and hit the real air horn for a good 3 seconds while going through the light. Stop signs I just tap the manual a lot with a bit of the electronic horn. Is there anything wrong with this? Is it better to just stick to one or two tones and only hit the horns while there's an obstruction? Any help would be great.

Here's the video,

Skip to about 2 minutues 40 seconds to see what I usually do haha.

 

[STXmedic]

I think you're putting a lot of thought into something pretty straightforward.

Personally, I'll turn on the siren to the first tone (wail I think it's called?) and leave it there. I'll hit the airhorn (and maybe change the siren to the next tone) if I'm coming up to an intersection and people aren't stopping, or if somebody is doing something stupid in front of me. That's it.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Wail as the normal driving tone. When I'm coming to an intersection I'll switch to yelp. If it's a major intersection I may tap the airhorn depending on the time of day and traffic.

If I get behind someone who won't pull over I'll change between wail and yelp a couple of times and hit the airhorn and the growler. If the car still won't pull over I'll turn my lights and siren off, pass on the right side, and then once I get infront of the vehicle I'll turn my lights and siren back on.

 

[cprted]

I watched the video from 2:30-3:30 ... yeah, bit much with the siren for the actual benefit you get out of the noisemaker ... biggest issue I saw in the minute I watched, blowing through red lights ... seriously dangerous stuff! Drivers aren't paying attention at the best of times ... Most agencies mandate a complete stop before proceeding to a red. I can tell you one night a while back I was glad I did or I would have been t-boned by a car I didn't see until it blasted across my nose doing 45 mph.

As far as what I do, I put in on wail and switch to yelp as I approach intersections or other hazards I switch it to yelp. If I want to make a little extra noise as I roll into the intersection, I might hit the hyperyelp. I'll use the electronic horn if I'm stuck behind someone who hasn't noticed me.

Here is a good training video to watch about sirens and how useful they actually are.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I just watched the video and I would be very annoyed if my partner used the sirens like that.

Also why on earth was this guy/gal stopping and clearing traffic when they had a green light but completely blowing through red lights without stopping

 

[Jim37F]

Check your local and state laws and dept policies (your dept can always be more restrictive but never more lax)

But here in California, code 3 requires the use of the lights AND sirens at all times.

In the rear world there are a FEW times some drivers will use discretion and shut off the sirens when going through residential neighborhoods at night....but guess who's fault it is if you collide with someone going through an intersection and you didn't stop at the stop sign?

Code 3 merely requests the right of way, you can never assume they see you, especially when traveling perpendiculally on a road crossing in front of you.

Tell your partner that you're simply looking out for yours and his safety, and besides it's your license/cert on the line if you get into an accident while driving, not his, so could he kindly worry more about whether the right side is clear?

 

[Handsome Robb]

The change is what people notice, not the siren itself. With that said sounding like a bad dubstep song with air horns blaring doesn't do much good. I'll use wail/yelp to get people to move if they aren't yielding then usually the phaser at lights and maybe the air horn if people are failing to yield.

When it's early or late I'm very guilty of running lights only and only using the siren at intersections.

 

[DesertMedic66]

The change is what people notice, not the siren itself. With that said sounding like a bad dubstep song with air horns blaring doesn't do much good. I'll use wail/yelp to get people to move if they aren't yielding then usually the phaser at lights and maybe the air horn if people are failing to yield.

When it's early or late I'm very guilty of running lights only and only using the siren at intersections.

Hell, when its very early or very late I don't even go code most of the time. I'll turn on the lights for a quick second to change traffic lights green for me and then turn the lights off haha

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Yeah don't worry about it so much. Especially while you're new, focus on driving safe. Ask your partner to operate the siren, then you can worry about not causing an accident and hear how s/he operates. Also, didn't you have an FTO?

 

[JPINFV]

Check your local and state laws and dept policies (your dept can always be more restrictive but never more lax)

But here in California, code 3 requires the use of the lights AND sirens at all times.

No it doesn't. A forward facing burning red light with a siren as needed is all that is required for the exemptions to the traffic code. Lights and sirens, however, are required to demand the right of way from other vehicles.

In the rear world there are a FEW times some drivers will use discretion and shut off the sirens when going through residential neighborhoods at night....but guess who's fault it is if you collide with someone going through an intersection and you didn't stop at the stop sign?

Guess who's fault it is if an ambulance and a car collide after the ambulance ran a stop sign with their lights and sirens on.

 

[Tigger]

Mmmm I do love me some euro hi/lo action mixed with some real airhorn. As said, changing tones is important but if you keep doing over and over again that's just annoying.

 

[gotbeerz001]

You are exempt from certain laws when on a call. You are NOT exempt from using due regard. If you are going to exercise that exemption, you need to have all warning devices operating. By law, the only required warning device is a steady, forward facing red lamp visible to 1000 feet.

Make double sure that one works during rig check.

 

[DesertMedic66]

You are exempt from certain laws when on a call. You are NOT exempt from using due regard. If you are going to exercise that exemption, you need to have all warning devices operating. By law, the only required warning device is a steady, forward facing red lamp visible to 1000 feet.

Make double sure that one works during rig check.

By law for CA. CA are the only rigs I have ever seen with the steady burning lights on all emergency vehicles.

 

[gotbeerz001]

By law for CA. CA are the only rigs I have ever seen with the steady burning lights on all emergency vehicles.

Correct. This may be a CA specific law.

 

[DieselBolus]

Hey guys, just started driving "hot" with lights and sirens and I was reaching out to you on how you typically use the siren. It sounds easy enough, but I've been told by my partner jokingly that I use it "crazily" and that I use too much air horn (electric and the REAL ones haha). I've honestly been modeling my siren work off of videos like the one below where I'll tap the manual a lot before coming to a light then switch really fast between wail and yelp a couple times and hit the real air horn for a good 3 seconds while going through the light. Stop signs I just tap the manual a lot with a bit of the electronic horn. Is there anything wrong with this? Is it better to just stick to one or two tones and only hit the horns while there's an obstruction? Any help would be great.

Here's the video,

Skip to about 2 minutues 40 seconds to see what I usually do haha.

Snapping the knob off your siren console: Ultimate Whacker

 

[Tigger]

I attempted to watch that video. Between the horrifying noises being emmited by the ambulance and the horrendous driving, well yea. No thanks.

 

[JPINFV]

Correct. This may be a CA specific law.

There's no "may" about it... the burning red light law is California specific.

 

[Chris07]

I'd love to be able to use my electric horn in heavy intersections or to give a little "extra notice" to people refusing to yield, however the ambulance I'm on is an older model and requires that I turn off my siren to use the electric horn. Needless to say I don't use my horn at all. The Wail/Yelp switch seems to work well enough.

There's no need to cycle through all the tones and blast the horn, All it does is make you look angry.

PS: That's some awesome sound insulation the ambulance in that video has. Goodness my ears are bleeding just from watching that video. Some of our brand new units have such great insulation that you can almost forget the siren is even on.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

I just watched the video and have a few comments.

-this is a good video showing how NOT to drive code 3. He is doing it just about completely wrong.

-he's got yelp/wail backwards. You should be on wail when cruising and yelp when clearing intersections.

-be VERY cautious if you choose to pass on the right.

-waaay to much airhorn.

-don't blow through stop signs, ever. Not only is this a@@hat blowing stop signs, he gives no warning and only roots toots the siren as he is entering the intersection.

-If you are cruising at night in residential area with no sirens, no need to toot at cars that have already yielded.

-not in the video but a special pet peeve of mine: if you approach an intersection with medians and the cars in front of you have no where to yield to, please just shut down and wait for the green. Don't park behind a line of cars that cannot move and blast your airhorn at them.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Oh and also, code 3 driving is a team sport, if my partner was filming instead of helping clear intersections, moniter radio traffic, operate the MDT and sirens, I would slap the phone out of his/her hands...or make then drive.