I just returned from a month in England and Ireland. As many of you, I was curious about the sirens used on EVs. London Fire Brigade uses sirens made by Woodbridge Electronics according to a leading fire fighter at the Euston Road station. The siren was mounted sideways in a console between the drivers and passenger seat, was very slim, about 6" x 1.2". I have found no info. on the manufacturer. The Metropolitan Police (3 officers in cars) could not identify the siren manufacturer. Switches were built into the dash, and appeared to have wail, yelp, hi-lo and a 4th signal. One cop said that they are referred to as "Met Sound" sirens, and said that the department gets the cars fully outfitted, and that they are never satisfied with what is normally available commercially with any equipment. He further said that he thought the sirens were UK made to department specs. In London, I heard many police cars and ambulances responding, and all sounded like US electronic sirens to me. I also heard responding fire apparatus somewhere in England and in Galway. Again, sirens sounded like clones of American sirens, except that 2 tone air horns were also used in England (not London).
The Wicklow Fire Brigade used Premiere Hazard sirens and 2 tone Fiamm air horns, and preferred the horns, feeling that the sirens were less audible.
Interestingly, I came upon a serious single car accident in Ireland on a rural, major "dual carriageway". There was little traffic so I stopped, after getting permission from a fire fighter to do so (he was the station officer), to photograph the 2 pumpers that were blocking the road (traffic being diverted to a very narrow secondary road). When I started to photograph the VW Jetta that as in 3 pieces, a cop rushed up and told me it was prohibited to photograph the accident. Mind you, the victim had already been removed. When asked, the station officer said yes, it was illegal, and even they did not like unauthorized photography of fire operations because they did not want material posed to You Tube. Being from here, I found this to be odd for an EU country. I was fully allowed to photograph the fire apparatus as long as the VW remains were not photographed.
As a final thought, anyone planning to go to the UK, or especially to Ireland, will find food costs, even in pubs, to be about 25-35% more than here, and gas to be about double or maybe more than US costs per gallon (4 liters). A fireman in Dublin said that he could not afford to eat out (he was paid about $64,000 per year, top 70,000. at fire fighter rank), and that the typical resident only eats out on special occasions. B & Bs were 70-75 Euros or pounds which translates as around $104. to 117. Whether you eat it or not, at most B & Bs you will pay for breakfast. On food, we found both England and Ireland to have excellent, if pricey food that was much, much better than on our last trip, years ago.
The Wicklow Fire Brigade used Premiere Hazard sirens and 2 tone Fiamm air horns, and preferred the horns, feeling that the sirens were less audible.
Interestingly, I came upon a serious single car accident in Ireland on a rural, major "dual carriageway". There was little traffic so I stopped, after getting permission from a fire fighter to do so (he was the station officer), to photograph the 2 pumpers that were blocking the road (traffic being diverted to a very narrow secondary road). When I started to photograph the VW Jetta that as in 3 pieces, a cop rushed up and told me it was prohibited to photograph the accident. Mind you, the victim had already been removed. When asked, the station officer said yes, it was illegal, and even they did not like unauthorized photography of fire operations because they did not want material posed to You Tube. Being from here, I found this to be odd for an EU country. I was fully allowed to photograph the fire apparatus as long as the VW remains were not photographed.
As a final thought, anyone planning to go to the UK, or especially to Ireland, will find food costs, even in pubs, to be about 25-35% more than here, and gas to be about double or maybe more than US costs per gallon (4 liters). A fireman in Dublin said that he could not afford to eat out (he was paid about $64,000 per year, top 70,000. at fire fighter rank), and that the typical resident only eats out on special occasions. B & Bs were 70-75 Euros or pounds which translates as around $104. to 117. Whether you eat it or not, at most B & Bs you will pay for breakfast. On food, we found both England and Ireland to have excellent, if pricey food that was much, much better than on our last trip, years ago.
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