Oakmont firefighters proposed replacing the borough’s emergency sirens with a new alert system.
“It needs upgrading,” Fire Chief Dave Carroll said. “It needs done. We had always, in the past five years, looked at our siren system. We’re building a package for the future.”
Carroll and Jamie Musulin of Capitol Electronics, which sells products made by warning system manufacturer Federal Signal, gave a presentation at the April 6 workshop meeting.
“It’s very important in developing a plan (for those) who are familiar with Oakmont, familiar with the siren system as well as those who are not familiar with the siren system,” Musulin said.
The current system features a siren at the volunteer fire station along Fifth Street, one atop Tenth Street Elementary School and one near the sewage treatment plant along Ann Street. All sirens go off simultaneously.
The proposed system consists of three new sirens and a couple of smaller ones, all of which can have their volume and tone adjusted to deliver different emergency messages. They would have a lightning detector among other features.
The new system will have more controls through an app and Allegheny County dispatch so there can be targeted alerts, Carroll said.
Not all the sirens across Oakmont would have to sound.
Several key details have yet to be finalized, such as where to put the devices and exactly how much the project will cost.
It is estimated to cost between $75,000 and $100,000 to remove the existing sirens and install the new system.
Carroll said he plans to submit financial information to council after sorting through more details with Musulin.
Federal Signal and two other vendors recently conducted studies to test Oakmont’s acoustics and optimization of the sirens using a map overlay in order to determine where to erect them.
Areas the current sirens don’t reach include the Oakmont Commons, parts of Edgewater, Riverside and Creekside parks.
Vice President Leah Powers said she is concerned the new system will merely shift noise to other borough locations.
“I have a lot of questions, and I want to make sure that it addresses the original issue of the noise level of the sirens that was brought to our attention to begin with,” Powers said.
Council President Patricia Friday said she doesn’t anticipate taking action on the proposal this month.
“I think that public safety is one of the primary responsibilities of borough council,” she said. “I would want to be as informed as possible to know what the best option is. I don’t think I have enough information to decide what the best option is. An improvement or an enhancement to what we have looks like it would be a good avenue.”
Why still use sirens?
Both questioned why sirens were still necessary because many people have cellphones, pagers and other means of receiving alerts.
Carroll said not all emergency responders have access to their phones at all times, and the sirens are important to alert not only firefighters but the general public of an emergency.
The sirens have been a problem for some residents for many years, with Jill Weeks being one of the more vocal advocates for change.
Weeks, in August, showed council a video that evening with children holding their ears as sirens blared.
The clips also included references to articles about noise exposure and its impact on people.
Sounds above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss, according to multiple reports.
The siren along Fifth Street is 95 decibels, and the siren atop Tenth Street Elementary is near 109 decibels, according to fire department 2nd Lt. Craig Aber.
It’s unclear how many decibels the siren along Ann Street near the sewage treatment plant is.
Weeks said the presentation made her feel optimistic about a new alert system.
“What it did show tonight was the will to change,” she said. “We heard some of the points we raised over the last couple months that there could be a better way (to sound an emergency alert). … I do feel like, for the first time, there’s a path forward to address this problem.”
