Stopping The Graton Siren

[sebastopolian2]

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[SEELOVE]

sound is very important and learning to live with it until it can be changed to have some peace of mind until you can change it i HIGHLY recommend the site.
https://www.YourKindnessMatters.org

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[Marty Hedlund]

If we stop and listen to the siren we might hear the message that the roads are dangerously icy today. When there are many alarms clustered it is a good indication to be careful. I appreciate the alarm's strength and clarity letting me and others know that the all VOLUNTEER firefighters are working (without pay) so that we can stay out of their way.

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[tomcat]

Are you talking about the volunteer fire department siren? Perhaps you could check with them and see if there is a way to upgrade the technology. This would require "FUNDS" that may need to be raised to purchase the new technology. I'll bet there are a lot of people in the community who would help with a fundraiser and maybe even higher taxes to support the new system. It could be very satisfying for you to help implement such changes.

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[Graton Fire]

Hi Everyone,

I volunteer as the Deputy Chief for the Graton Fire Department and I am happy to discuss the siren on the WACCO board. You are also welcome to call or email me directly as well as attend the Board Meetings the 2nd Tuesday of every Month at 7:30pm- everyone is welcome.

First, let's talk about the last 24 hours. Last night was a very unusual circumstance as there was a major fire in Rincon Valley/Larkfield that pulled fire engines from all over the West County. As a result, we found ourselves running many calls in other districts between midnight and 3am. This happens maybe once every 2 years. Combine this with the light rain that turned into black ice and we were awake again at 7am to start rescuing overturned drivers.

The siren - I am not sure if you read the recent article in the West County Gazette that discussed the siren. As an all-volunteer fire district, we rely on calling the volunteer firefighters to the station. It is true that we have pagers; however, there are many "gaps" in the West County for coverage. Think about how well your cell phone works... we have similar problems with radio frequencies. Combine this with housing construction and topography... and the result is a system that is mostly reliable but not 100% by far. In my personal experience, there are certain places in my house that the pager just won't work. The siren is the catch-all. It alerts all volunteers (and the public) that there is a fire call. The siren is hard-wired at the firehouse and is the most reliable way to ensure firefighters will respond to an emergency.

Greg Dable, writer for Sonoma West Newspaper, had this to say- “When I hear the siren, I know there are brothers and friends responding in the finest fashion to neighbors in need... perhaps on the way to your house.” He heard the siren one day and didn’t think anything more about it... until his son called to say their house was on fire. Fortunately, we were able to contain the fire quickly and the damage was minimal. We hear a similar sentiment regularly from other people that have called 9-1-1, “We didn’t like that siren a whole lot... until it meant help was on its way to us.”

I hope this provides some additional background to why we have the siren and why it is so valuable. I raised my family in downtown Graton, very close to the siren; if there was a more reliable way to guarantee firefighters respond, we would be doing it. Trust me in knowing that we would prefer not to hear the siren go off. That would mean a full-night's sleep and not losing money for taking time-off from work to run fire calls.

Again, if there are any questions, I encourage residents to attend the monthly board meetings (2nd Tuesday at 7:30pm).

Thank you,

Bill Bullard, Deputy Chief
Graton Fire Protection District

3205 Ross Road, P.O. Box A
Graton, CA 95444

mailto:[email protected]
https://www.gratonfire.com
707-823-5515 ext. 3
707-823-7251 fax

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

["Mad" Miles]

An excellent reply by Deputy Chief Bullard. Kudos for his work and the work of all First Responders, whether paid or not.

To add a more speculative and alarmist note: Fire Sirens could one day again serve as air raid/Civil Defense warnings.

What are you gonna do when the Wraith, or the Cylons or the Scarens are coming and you have no warning because everyone has been ported there is universal wireless and the old sonic sirens are all decommissioned? (Yes, I'm a SciFi fan.)

On a more realistic but hopefully not actually probable note, if/when the North Koreans, Iranians or Israelis decide to nuke us, don't you want a few minutes to be able to bend over and kiss your own ass goodbye?

Only half kidding.

"M"M

(And yes, I can hear the volunteer fire siren in Forestville, barely, and I'm very glad I don't live any closer to it. So y'all do have my sympathy even if I think such warning systems are a good thing.)

[Shan]

Thank you for a clear and valuable explaination of the need for the siren. As a suburbian who moved to Graton two years ago, I really wanted to understand what the siren meant. My kids, who daydream about being superheros and rescue workers will enjoy hearing the siren and knowing it means that help is on the way!

[Dixon]

I sympathize with those who are bothered by the siren.

But my main message here is that, as the son and grandson of volunteer firemen (in Paw Paw, Michigan--anybody here from Paw Paw? I didn't think so.), I just wanna take this opportunity to express much kudos to all volunteer firefighters everywhere.

Love;
Dixon

[tezor]

All I can say is be thankful you can roll over and drift back to sleep, knowing the details will get delt with, now go back to sleep and leave this alone. It was here long before U moved her. Enjoy your day, tezor.

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[hapahaole]

Waccovians,

While I acknowledge that one’s enthusiasm for keeping the Graton siren is directly proportional to one’s distance from the source, I have to weigh in on the side of keeping it fully functional. Sure, a three-in-the-morning sounding will wake even the deepest sleeper, but (having lived a mile away for many years) I knew that help was on the way to someone, and also kept me reminded of the dedication of the skilled volunteers. All it takes is to be on the receiving end of their services just once, and one gains a new perspective and appreciation that lasts. I know...

And, in perhaps some small way, it helps to keep alive a sense of community which is so needed.

A very belated, very heartfelt thanks to Graton Fire staff.

Patrick

[BizWrangler]

Back 20 plus years ago, Pt. Reyes Station changed their Noon siren with the help of Lucas Films. Now, they hear MMMOOOOoooooooo instead! However, perhaps finding out the function of the siren before getting too upset might be in order. My first thought is that there is an emergency, and this is the fastest way to get the attention of the volunteers in the community to come help. That's just my guess, and when time is of the essence, well, you simply don't have time for a "phone tree". You may come to value the siren if ever you have an emergency and then the bell will toll for thee.

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[BizWrangler]

Oops! My apologies. I see this answer was already provided. I'm a newbie here, so I'm still learning the ropes. sorry.

Back 20 plus years ago, Pt. Reyes Station changed their Noon siren with the help of Lucas Films. Now, they hear MMMOOOOoooooooo instead! However, perhaps finding out the function of the siren before getting too upset might be in order. My first thought is that there is an emergency, and this is the fastest way to get the attention of the volunteers in the community to come help. That's just my guess, and when time is of the essence, well, you simply don't have time for a "phone tree". You may come to value the siren if ever you have an emergency and then the bell will toll for thee.

[Sooz]

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

I live opposite the siren so, I REALLY know what you are talking about! It was the worst night for more than a year.
As far as I know, the siren is needed so that volunteer firemen who live in the surrounding valleys and places that do not have cell phone reception get a 'call' about an emergency.
The fire department will have moved out by the end of next year. They are moving to Vine Hill Road where they have bought some of the Davis Tree Farm to build a new fire station.
I only hope the old fire station doesn't become a parking lot! Or maybe that would be a good solution to the congestion downtown Graton.

[tomcat]

Well, as a matter of fact Dixon, my wife IS also from Paw Paw and her father, Wendell Ball, who grew up there was a volunteer fireman in Paw Paw for many years in the 40's through the 70's.
Lotsa Michiganders round these here parts.
Small world, eh?
Tom

I sympathize with those who are bothered by the siren.

But my main message here is that, as the son and grandson of volunteer firemen (in Paw Paw, Michigan--anybody here from Paw Paw? I didn't think so.), I just wanna take this opportunity to express much kudos to all volunteer firefighters everywhere.

Love;
Dixon

[AnneCatherine]

Well, as a matter of fact Dixon, my wife IS also from Paw Paw and her father, Wendell Ball, who grew up there was a volunteer fireman in Paw Paw for many years in the 40's through the 70's.
Lotsa Michiganders round these here parts.
Small world, eh?
Tom

I'm from Detroit. Where the heck is Paw Paw? In the UP?

[tomcat]

OK, this thread has taken a bit of a jog from the Graton Siren to Michigan Geography, but what the heck...
As all Michiganders know (my wife tells me), hold up your left mitten, palm away from you. Detroit is on the bottom right side of the mitten below the thumb near the wrist and Paw Paw is on the bottom left of the mitten near the wrist... or as a Californian would say it, go west on 94 from Kalamazo for about half an hour till you see the sign for Paw Paw.
(and as we all know, the UP is north of the mitten and mighty cold too).
Tom

I'm from Detroit. Where the heck is Paw Paw? In the UP?

[soulsk8ter77]

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

Hi Have you thought about using a fan or some type of *white noise* in your bedroom. I live in a quiet cul-de-sac in Santa Rosa. We live next to a school/football field. The fan has let us sleep in many a Sunday morning when they start playing games at 9:00 AM. We can sleep though phone calls and a neighbor putting on a roof all of last week. Sound proof windows might be worth the expense. HTH Missy

[joannofsonoma]

So what is the siren for??? We hear it here in Forestville and were wondering about the purpose.

[Graton Fire]

So what is the siren for??? We hear it here in Forestville and were wondering about the purpose.

Thank you for your interest. Here is an article about the Graton Fire Siren that was printed in the West County Gazette last year.

Graton Fire Siren


So what’s up with that siren? We are often asked by people moving into the community why there is a siren and what it means. Since 1945, when the fire department first formed, the siren has been alerting volunteers of an emergency. Initially, the owners of the adjacent gas station (now gone) would receive the phone call and turn on the siren. Today, it is triggered by the County dispatch center in Santa Rosa. Here are a few myths about the siren:


Myth #1: The number of siren cycles indicates the type of call.
Answer: False, the siren goes off 4 cycles every time regardless of the call type. The only exception is the noon siren test, which sounds only once. Over time, ranchers and farmers found this test a great sign to stop for lunch as well. Occasionally, we will deactivate the siren mid-cycle if we already have enough personnel at the station.


Myth #2: The firefighters all carry pagers that sound when there is a call.
Answer: True, we carry pagers that monitor the dispatch frequency and beep when there is a call. Unfortunately, they are not 100 percent reliable as the pagers are affected by location, building construction, and topography (similar to cell phones). We have also had dispatch system failures where they can't activate the pagers, leaving the siren as the only notice of a call. The siren, in combination with the pagers, assures that the maximum number of volunteers are notified and respond to every call.


Myth #3: Modern fire departments don’t need sirens.
Answer: True and false, some departments do not need to use a siren as they have full-time firefighters staffing the fire house 24/7. Graton Fire is still an all-volunteer department from the fire chief to the trainees. Each year, we respond to approximately 500 calls; making our volunteer department the busiest in Sonoma County.


Beyond the importance of calling the volunteers, the siren also provides piece of mind for the family calling 9-1-1. Hearing the siren offers an audible acknowledgement that we are on our way. Just ask Greg Dabel, Graton resident and Sonoma West Newspaper writer. He heard the siren one day and didn’t think anything more about it... until his son called to say their house was on fire. Fortunately, we were able to contain the fire quickly and the damage was minimal. In his regular newspaper column, he wrote, “When I hear the siren, I know there are brothers and friends responding in the finest fashion to neighbors in need... perhaps on the way to your house.” We hear a similar sentiment regularly from other people that have called 9-1-1, “We didn’t like that siren a whole lot... until it meant help was on its way to us.”


If there are any questions, please post them publicly or privately here... all residents are encouraged to attend the monthly board meetings (2nd Tuesday at 7:30pm at the fire station).


Thank you,


Bill Bullard, Deputy Chief
Graton Fire Protection District
3205 Ross Road, P.O. Box A
Graton, CA 95444
mailto:[email protected]
https://www.gratonfire.com
707-823-5515 ext. 3
707-823-7251 fax

[joannofsonoma]

Bill,

Thank you so much for sending on the article. We recently moved here in February so the information in the article is new to us. We certainly appreciate everything the Graton Volunteer Fire Dept. does and now know how often your services are requested. Thank you!!!

[bikeridingboy]

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

I have lived with that siren for 23 years and I love the siren. I think it holds the old time culture of Graton alive. I feel it is the duty of life long residents like myself, to resist newcomers coming to our town and trying to change things that have nostagic, historic and cultural importance.
Loosing the siren would be like loosing the train tracks or loosing apple trees to grapes or monster homes being built where cows used to roam; it just would not feel the same.

[Ohana]

I have lived with that siren for 23 years and I love the siren. I think it holds the old time culture of Graton alive. I feel it is the duty of life long residents like myself, to resist newcomers coming to our town and trying to change things that have nostagic, historic and cultural importance.
Loosing the siren would be like loosing the train tracks or loosing apple trees to grapes or monster homes being built where cows used to roam; it just would not feel the same.

I share your sentiments WholeHeartedly!!!

[Zeno Swijtink]

I have lived with that siren for 23 years and I love the siren. I think it holds the old time culture of Graton alive. I feel it is the duty of life long residents like myself, to resist newcomers coming to our town and trying to change things that have nostagic, historic and cultural importance.
Loosing the siren would be like loosing the train tracks or loosing apple trees to grapes or monster homes being built where cows used to roam; it just would not feel the same.

I agree. To me a siren such as in Graton as part of our soundscape indicates that we care as a community, that we collectively fund our fire protection and that there are people out there ready to rush out to protect life and property that is threatened by a fire. Just like a church bell that rings out the hours indicates the time framework that coordinates my interactions with fellow citizens.

On the other hand, church bells in Europe often ring at a lower volume at night since sounds carry farther at night. Is this also true with the Graton siren. Otherwise an idea to consider.

[nicofrog]

Hey;
I liked the Mooooo idea!
or how about Whale sounds!! or a flying saucer effect from a 50's sci-fi movie just to zonk Mad Miles!
I know what, here's another huge diversion of subject, all scoffers, just make a mental adjustment of the sound to the pain of the firefighters who have been demonstrating in the streets of new york,having lost friends and relatives to explosions in the basements of the twin towers on 9-11 who KNOW it was a hoax perpetrated by the *** **** who needed to blow up the evidence in"building # 7. Our country is in an emergency,if you are waking up, THAT is a good thing.
nicowho

How do we stop the Graton siren? I've lived here for many years but last night may have put me over the top (4 times including this one as I write at 7 am) Does anyone know about the insistence of continuing a siren that is no longer needed? Do we need to get signatures to petition? I'm in to make this happen. Thoughts?

[quirkypixie]

I remind myself, every time I hear the siren, that someone is being helped in some way. The siren becomes a joyful sound as opposed to a negative one. Are we really living in such a selfish society that we can't endure a little noise for the welfare of our friends, family, and community? If your home was burning, and the siren did not sound, would you be pleased with the only 2 firefighters showing up to the call to fight a fully involved home? Since the rest of the volunteers did not get the page, due to living rurally?

I think those who are complaining about this are self centered, and not thinking of others. If you can't endure a little noise for the sake of the community's safety, maybe it is time to leave. The siren was most likely here when you moved here. It's like moving next to an airport, and then complaining about it!

[bird]

Calistoga also uses a siren. There was an attempt to "stop the siren" some years back. They started by elimating the noon siren. I believe that the middle of the night sirens have ceased and they use pagers or some other way to notify volunteers.
Due to overwhelming requests, the noontime siren returned many years ago in Calistoga and I, for one, appreciate it.
It's most certainly a sound that one can get used to and find comfort from.
And if Graton siren goes off in the middle of the night, then maybe they should contact Calistoga VFD (or Monte Rio VFD which is very busy and uses no siren) to find out what technology they implimented to eliminate the middle of the night sirens.
Volunteer Fire Depts. are a true gift to our communities and in my opinion, these folks don't get enough "props" from the folks they serve. Bake a pie and drop it by your local VFD or just stop in to say "Thanks! for what you do"....it will most certainly be appreciated. These folks give up alot to serve our local communities.
That's my two cents about this.
All the Best and Peace.