New Britain herald., 1929-12-12
TIE. SIRENS

The local public has heard deal about sirens lately, Making the siren at fire hcadQuartcrs announce 10 the downtown section that the fir" equipment needs the right Of way has been somewhat of an under taking. Right after the electrical superintendent had been spoken to Dv the fire commissioners for not promptly fixing" the siren recent ly after he had been informed that if vas not working, along comes an- other opportunity for the siren to do it's worst. And it did it, It onl% blew two times, when according to the regulations it should blow five times. Manifesily something is wrong with the siren. We are no! inclined 10 take the word of the manufac acturers or the instruments that this particular siren is tn" best in the world.
 But that is not all the education we have been receiving about the necessity of sirens. The fire chief : car has one also. a sort Of small edition Of the more famous siren at headquarters. When the chiefs chauffeur. or the chief himse is in hurry 10 get to fire. !, IS car rying a stricken fireman from tn" ire 10 hospital, tic siren ls turned on." II makes a racket tha, can be heard for blocks. Autoisls who know what is good for them are supposed 10 give heed and no' get into the way. Unfortunately there arc some kinds of autoists whu are, cithcr hard Of hearing. are reckless. or who do not believe in sirens. Consequently one Of them had a collision with the chiefs con veyancc while a fireman vas be- ing 'ru3hcd' 10 tho hospital. The chief. his motor operator. and the special policeman in tho car with the injured fireman say the autoisl who accidentally contendcd for tho right Of way was "rec,ilcss. w. readily admit that any autoiSt who deliberately fails to put on the brakes. preferably coming 10 q tui stop next to the curb when he hear: said siren. is at least not 100 pei cent prudent.
 What happened is known tc , everyone. There was q pretty smashup, with both cars damaged. What is needed iA the town l: more respect for sirens. There hasn't been enough of it all along to our notion. Quite recently, whcl l the siren at headquarters blasted it terrific warning, we happened to b. | buying smokes in one Of our favorit smokcshops and rushed out 10 SC
 what would happen. As sure as fat some autoists were as far from tn
 curbstonc as possible. and if thei
 engines aad been stalled they coul
 have been in no more prccariou
 location. A moment later one of tn
 big red speed wagons came aion
 and what did the driver do" Did h
 stop 10 have an argument with tn
 arltoists? So far as we could judg
 all he did was cuss 10 himself. Wha happened was that the red COT
 puscle rushing through the blood
 downtown traffic shaved the mo!
 conspicuous autos by an inch or s'
 IL was a marvellous performance l
 operating the steering wheel. Need
 less to add. the fire truck did not rt
 ducc it's customary speed. Barrel
 grazing an automobile while goin
 as fast as q fire truck travels wt
 quite d thrilling exhibition to tl'
 citi2enry assembled on the sidelinc
 Such chances would not be nece
 sary if education regarding the ms ) jesty of the sirens call were mol universal. Perhaps the subject cou.
 just as well be included among tho: : taught in the schools, the nigl , schools and the city's correspoI
 dcnco courses. One thing is certain The moro VIC respect sirens the sa or we will after they blow.