Sirens: Emergency Vehicle Siren

We hear them everyday. Whether we are stuck in rush hour traffic, lying on the couch at night watching TV or typing at work on the computer, they make their presence known. They are sirens and in an emergency every second counts. It is literally a matter of life and death. The sad part is that some people don’t get out of the way when they see or hear a siren and critical seconds are lost.

Sirens must be taken seriously. It is important to move out of the way for police, fire trucks and ambulance. Just think if it was you or a family member inside that ambulance. Wouldn’t you want people to clear the way for it to get by?

There are several things you can do to help emergency personnel get to the person in need or get to the destination. Use the letters in the word SIREN to help you remember what to do if you see or hear one.

S - Stay alert. Always be aware of your surroundings and the traffic around you. Also, keep your radios’ volume levels to a minimum so you can hear oncoming sirens approaching.

I - Investigate. Look in all your mirrors to determine how close the emergency vehicle is to you so you can make your next move.

R - React. React quickly but calmly when you hear a siren approaching. Use turn signals when pulling off the road. Don’t slam on your brakes at once.

E - Enter. When merging back into traffic, look in all directions and again, use your turn signal before pulling into traffic again.

N - Never. Never pull into an area that is not safe. Also, never try to follow or outrun an emergency vehicle.

Other critical things to remember are: watch for pedestrians who are on the edge of the road or at a crosswalk and be aware of bicyclists around you.

Not every emergency medical response requires lights or sirens, but next time you encounter such a situation, yield immediately and pull off to the right shoulder of the road so that the emergency personnel can reach the person who is waiting for help to arrive. Remember, it’s important to let them through...next time, it could be you.