Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know IABU but I want to complain about a Fire engine.

69 replies

thehorsedentist · 01/08/2013 10:04

Yes I know I sound UR but please understand my perspective. I want advice on how to complain reasonably.

I live on a very main, city centre, road and as such have a lot of traffic noise but we are used to it.
Once a night on average there is a extremely loud Fire engine that races past in the early hours of the morning, extremely loud sirens wee woo ing. It sets off our car alarm, plus about 5 alarms of cars on the forecourt of a garage a couple of doors down. Wakes us all up, including my 10 month old who sleeps at the other end of the house.

The Kicker... There is no or very very little traffic on the road at that time so no need for the sirens at all. It's a long, straight road with great visibility of traffic for about a mile. I really don't think it is necessary for them to have the sirens on. The other emergency services do not use their sirens at that time of night, just blue lights.

So, how do I reasonably complain about these amazing people who truly are Heroes.... But are driving me crazy with the lack of sleep.

OP posts:
ExitPursuedByABear · 01/08/2013 10:12

No idea, but we had this with a police car every night at the same time. I did not believe there was a blue light emergency at the same time every night but I think on a thread on here I was told I was being unreasonable. However I presume the individual left as it doesn't happen anymore.

If it is a main road I believe they are obliged to use the siren but I am sure a call to the station will probably be the most appropriate way forward.

MultumInParvo · 01/08/2013 10:13

You're moaning about sleep when there are people potentially burning to death?!

That's like people moaning about being stuck in a traffic jam after a serious road traffic accident.

Think yourself lucky it's not you instead. Yabu.

fluckered · 01/08/2013 10:14

do you know that these engines are going to an emergency? is it the same time every night?

Blessyou · 01/08/2013 10:14

You could make a polite enquiry as to whether the siren is necessary, rather than complain?

grovel · 01/08/2013 10:15

YANBU to call the station and ask (nicely, obviously) if the siren is necessary.

Original poster
thehorsedentist · 01/08/2013 10:16

Yes it's truly horrific for the people who's lives are being changed by a fire..... However they are not going to get there any quicker just because the sirens are on. Turn them bloody off, like every single ambulance and police car does.

OP posts:
fluckered · 01/08/2013 10:17

can you ring the station and nicely enquire that you notice sirens every night and wondered was it normal practice

oldgrandmama · 01/08/2013 10:17

Oh dear, reminds me of some neighbours we had years ago, who complained to the Police about their sirens going in the early hours ... I live just by one of the main arterial roads in London!

So far as I can see, emergency vehicles usually put on sirents when approaching junctions, to warn traffic of their progress and that's certainly what happens where I live. Afraid you'll have to put up with it. I found, when I move here, I got used to it and sleep through the noise, and hopefully you and your family will too.

ThingummyBob · 01/08/2013 10:18

City centre fire station here does not use the siren for night shouts unless really necessary (Leeds).

I'd call the station and ask to speak to chief officer. He might not know they are doing it.

Cravey · 01/08/2013 10:19

One wonders if you will moan if its your home burning down or you stuck in a car etc ?????

Leithlurker · 01/08/2013 10:23

Ok lets turn them off and when a pedestrian gets knocked down we can blame you, that fair enough?

Or We ask them to tone it down a bit while they creep past your house and only use the siren, which I am pretty sure they HAVE to use as it is both good practice and considered a safety issue, once they are up the road a bit.

I am presuming you have a choice to live there, buy ear muffs, sell a your car, change your car for one with a less sensitive alarm, in fact so many flippin choices compared to the potential of the poor buggers in desperate need of the fire brigade have.

ThingummyBob · 01/08/2013 10:23

Agree OP - do other posters think that sirens make engines drive faster Hmm

Sirens are for alerting other road users of the presence of an emergency vehicle. Flashing blue lights at night are usually enough.

God no one would sleep near me if all emergency vehicles used sirens all night Grin

fluckered · 01/08/2013 10:24

there is really no point in having a go at the OP saying "if it was your family/house" etc. she is simply asking if it is normal practice. i'm sure if she was told yes it was she would live with it. but she is not bu to enquire if it is normal practice.

loveulotslikejellytots · 01/08/2013 10:25

You could find a number for their control centre and ask.

DH is a fire fighter, he drives a lot. On their training course they are told that in unsocial hours sirens are to be used when necessary. When that is would be up to the officer in charge in the front seat. I just asked him about this one and he said if there are side roads, bends in the road, concealed drive ways or junctions up ahead sirens would be needed as people won't always see blue lights (or a 12 tonne red truck) until they've edged out. Fire engines don't swerve easily.

He said that if you live in a city or town centre then they probably would keep them on. There is still variable amounts of traffic on the roads at that time of the morning, at that time of the morning, drivers could be less alert or tired etc. The whole point of lights and sirens is to make them more visible.

But even he moans about sirens in the early hours. Phone and ask, but in all likeliness they won't turn them off.

fluckered · 01/08/2013 10:25

Leithlurker she is talking about sirens!! not the lights Hmm lol @ knocking down pedestrian. such a stupid comment.

Cravey · 01/08/2013 10:27

How is leith comment stupid. Blind people can't see the lights. And believe it or not blind people do go out at night and alone !!!

Salmotrutta · 01/08/2013 10:27

But the OP states she lives on a main city centre road with a lot of traffic.

In my limited experience of cities there is usually still quite a lot of traffic at night - hence the need for sirens surely?

Even in our small town there is still traffic going about at night!

loveulotslikejellytots · 01/08/2013 10:27

Oh and drunk pedestrians. Rare in rural areas perhaps but the amount of time he's had people cross the road in front of him at 2am in the city centre is unbelievable.

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 01/08/2013 10:28

Sirens are there to alert people to the emergency vehicle, right? So they can pull over and let them past? So if there's no traffic, they don't need sirens, right?
Well, who else could they be trying to alert? Is it pub chucking out time? Are thdy trying to alert drunken pedestrians who may respond more to a siren than to a light?
Or maybe it just hasnt occured to them.
A siren doesn't increase your speed. If the road is clear, do you need it? Is your fast moving vehicle a hazard that people walking around in the dark and therefore not as visible to a fast moving vehicle need to be aware of.

Call them and ask but it probably isn't as simple as little traffic therefore no need for sirens. However, if it is raised and they realise sirens arent needed, they may stop using them.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 01/08/2013 10:29

Unfortunately for you, you don't have a chance of winning this.

It is a current requirement of firefighters to use sirens when the road requires it. That includes all main/city centre roads, and roads where there are side roads, bends, concealed entrances, etc.

The only thing you can do, really, is either try to soundproof the front of your house more, or stop your car alarm from going off. You'll get used to the sirens in time, as unlikely as it seems. You have to stop yourself from getting annoyed at them, but they will then become the norm.

Unless you want to move - it depends how bad it is, really. If it's hugely distressing, it may be worthwhile planning to move.

fluckered · 01/08/2013 10:29

because the OP is talking about the sirens? Leithlurker I feel is clutching at straws to have a dig at the OP. if that's the case they should have sirens on 24/7 for ALL vehicles for fear of knocking down a blind pedestrian. Hmm

Salmotrutta · 01/08/2013 10:29

fluckered - your post makes no sense.

How would someone round a corner on a side street, about to cross the road, see a blue light?

And quite a few people have been run over by emergency vehicles whilst crossing roads Hmm

MerrieMelodies · 01/08/2013 10:30

Interesting. I would ring and be very apologetic and ask for the reasons - they may well be very good ones.

We live by a hospital and the blue lights tend to be on at night but the sirens are off, normally.

We're used to it anyway, when they have the sirens on it doesn't tend to wake us up. How long have you lived there?

CajaDeLaMemoria · 01/08/2013 10:31

Oh, and as for the ambulance and police car comment - these are a lot easier to drive. They can be swerved, if necessary, and get through smaller gaps. The same cannot be said for fire engines. They need to get through first time, and quickly.

Can you tell there are a lot of firefighters in my life?! I used to really want to be one.

Salmotrutta · 01/08/2013 10:32

And yes, tipsy people staggering out of pubs are more likely to hear a siren than notice a blue light.

Especially in a brightly lit city centre I expect.

Swipe left for the next trending thread