Fire siren is a necessity, not a nuisance
Shutting off the fire siren at night is a punch in the face to public safety and our firefighters. Not only does it tell those in danger we don’t care, it also sends a message that we as a community do not want to help.
By having the fire siren active at all times of day, the community is able to limit water use during emergencies and stay off the roads to allow firefighters faster access to where they are needed.
Living in Lake Cowichan my entire life, I have never once thought of the fire siren as a nuisance, only a necessity. Imagine it is Christmas time and you are asleep one night. Suddenly, you wake up and realize you forgot to unplug the lights on the Christmas tree and it has caused a fire. You run outside and call 911. The operator tells you help is on its way, but you hear nothing, for it is too late at night and the fire siren is shut off. Your community doesn’t know you and your family are in danger. The teenager living down the street doesn’t know they need to halt their 1 a.m. shower. How does this make you feel? For me, I know it would send me into an even greater panic.
There is no doubt some members of the community are affected by the noise of the siren. However, if we bend to the needs of those community members, we are essentially turning our backs on both those who are in immediate danger as well as those who voluntarily risk their lives to help others.
Shauna Johel
Lake Cowichan
