LACoFD & LAFD Hi-Lo Air Horns

May 25, 2010
129
Los Angeles, CA
Several people have asked about the hi-lo horns used on "Squad 51", wanting to know if they were electronic.


They are not. They are air horns. Here are some links for the horns in use on LACo & LAFD vehicles:


LACo:


LACo is using 2 trumpets, but it sounds like LA City may be using 4 trumpets.
 
Aug 20, 2010
112
Texas USA
I know every state has its own regs on emergency equipment. But why does LA and LA County use martinhorns instaed of more standard electronic "airhorns". Seems to me like an expensive proposition to put a seperate compressor powered system instead of using what is usually standard on modern electronic sirens.


It IS unique, though. I'm just wondering why.
 

unlisted

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 20, 2010
7,333
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TheLightFromMars said:
I know every state has its own regs on emergency equipment. But why does LA and LA County use martinhorns instaed of more standard electronic "airhorns". Seems to me like an expensive proposition to put a seperate compressor powered system instead of using what is usually standard on modern electronic sirens.

It IS unique, though. I'm just wondering why.

Pretty sure those are NOT martinhorns- they don't sound right.


Those are Martin Horns- notice the warble?
 
May 25, 2010
129
Los Angeles, CA
Answers to questions:


1. By law, electronic "air horns" cannot be used in CA if they interrupt wail or yelp; it would need to be a separate electronic siren with its own speaker(s). This would cost as much as the horns.


LAFD did extensive testing of horns and sirens, and determined that the hi-lo horns, when used with a siren, allowed the EV to be heard better than when sirens only were used. The tones are lower, so they seem to help people who may not hear a high pitched electronic siren. Calif. law also allows an air horn (type not specified) to be used on fire vehicles. I read that as air horn, not simulated air horn. The horns have been used since around 1972 or so.


2. The horns are not Martin Horns; they are Stebel for LACo and Fiamm for LAFD. The Stebel use non-Stebel trumpets (Stebel use a composite trumpet pair, and these are metal), and the Fiamm sets use Fiamm trumpets, either 2 or 4. LACo typically use somewhat higher frequencies than LAFD. That is a matter of preference. I do not know who makes the LACo trumpets. They are adjustable, and I have seen 4 used, adjusted to produce a tremolo, sounding exactly like the Martin 2297. The seller will not reveal who makes them.
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
Dr. Dennis Stouffer said:
The tones are lower, so they seem to help people who may not hear a high pitched electronic siren.

To me, the high pitch issue is a matter of Federal redesigning the circuits in the PA15A Director and PA20A Interceptor electronic sirens in the early 1970s. The high-pitched PA15A series 1E and PA20A series 2E siren oscillator circuits were designed with smaller speakers in mind. Small speakers, such as Federal's TS24 and TS100, both of which were designed to fit in the speaker compartment of the Twin Sonic light bar, supposedly sound better and perform better with high-pitched siren tones.


In my opinion, 1960s Directors and Interceptors with low-pitched tones sound way better than the high-pitched 1970s versions.
 

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