The sound of a siren is almost always associated with emergencies. You would always think that there’s a life-threatening situation just happening around, or somebody is in a crisis. It may be true in most cases, but know that there is more to that impression that you should know.

It is worth noting that siren systems are technically used to call the public’s attention, whether a community, pedestrians, or drivers. You can hear them in different alarm tones, using different siren types. There are several types of sirens that have specific use. So that next time you hear its sound, be acquainted with what it signals, and most of all, be oriented on how you would react to the situation.

 

The Types of Sirens

Sirens work both in pre-emptive and reactive emergencies, but in either situation, you should familiarize yourself to know how to act and react appropriately.

• The Ring Alarm Siren is an emergency sirens used to alert passersby and deter intruders. If the alarm is triggered, it makes a loud sound, and a red strobe LED light flashes. The flashing light alerts your neighbors who could help you in a case called for. While the lights help emergency services like the police locate your home.

This siren type can be easily installed on the exterior wall of your home and can be easily maintained. You can manually recharge the battery pack for its continued operation or have a hardwired power option for convenience. You can also set the alarm to a dusk to dawn feature. Just inform your neighbors to avoid unnecessary distraction, especially if it alarms during the night.

• The Horn sirens are ideally used in large, noisy environments like an industrial working site, a hazardous workshop, or an active community. In a large and noisy worksite, you need a full noise and distraction to alert people’s attention when an emergency arises. People have to refocus their attention and shift movement and activity as quickly as possible. And thus, the horn sirens are primarily appropriate for this type of scenario.

This horn siren is compact and portable and delivers a highly effective decibel sound as high as 120 dB. Thus, a horn siren is best used for communicating emergencies like an evacuation alert or an emergency signal like what the police are doing.

 

Know What To Do When You Hear These Alarms

So what does it mean when you hear a sound from sirens, and what are the right things to do?

An Outdoor Warning

Outdoor sirens are triggered when something dangerous is approaching like a life-threatening scenario or an emergency. And when you hear this sound, you should immediately go indoors or seek an immediate refuge and get tuned in to information. This alarm is usually sounded when an impending tornado, hail, or wind is at hand.

Please know that specific sounds may vary in different places. Each country has adapted  guidelines in partnership with the National Weather Services. So for better orientation and education about a specific sound, always keep in touch with your local authorities so that you can avoid confusion, respond quickly and act accordingly.

 

Police, Firetruck, and Ambulance sirens

Police sirens are crucial to people and property in both everyday and emergencies. It calls the attention of both pedestrians and drivers alike to make them aware that a police vehicle needs to make way, and thus you need to clear the road. If you hear a quick burst of siren speakers, it may signal an everyday activity, but if you hear a siren’s recognizable, repeated, and fast sound, know that they are in an emergency.

So, when you are on the street and hear such a sound, be sure to stand by in a safe area and never cross the road because it means that a police vehicle is coming in a rush. Meanwhile, if you are driving, don’t get distracted by the siren, and be careful not to block the way of the police vehicle but at the same time, be aware of other cars that might get in your way.

Same way, if you can hear the alarm of a firetruck or an ambulance, you have to do the same road traffic courtesy and discipline to give way to the vehicles. Know that they won’t trigger the alarm if they are not in a rush. Like fire trucks, you wouldn’t know if it’s your house that they are rushing to save, likewise for an ambulance, they are bringing patients to the hospitals or might be running to an emergency site to pick up a patient.

 

Takeaway

Sirens are triggered for a reason, whether an alert system during an emergency or a signal of an impending crisis that you should escape and be safe. So every time you hear the sound of a siren, don’t consider it noise, and most of all, don’t ignore it; instead, take action, be alert, and do your part.