I, a resident of Woodmere, NY, live only a block over from the station. Countless times, I've been jolted awake or terrified by the station's air-raid like siren, which is not just loud, but also activated at all hours of the day and night. This echoing, ear-piercing noise is not only a nuisance but also a significant disturbance when we are sleeping. This is also affecting the young families who have babies woken up by the siren in the middle of the night. 

According to the Noise Pollution and Control Rule of 2000, continuous exposure to loud noise can be harmful, leading to stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders (source: Environmental Protection Agency). This fire station is, inadvertently, affecting the health and wellbeing of nearby residents by keeping us in a perpetual state of worry over when the siren will next go off.

Moreover, modern communication technologies can provide a more efficient and less intrusive means of alerting the relevant staff during emergencies. Not only do many other fire stations in the U.S. use pagers, radios, or smartphone applications for this purpose, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also acknowledged that such systems are more effective and less disturbing (source: National Fire Protection Association).

Furthermore, the Cedarhurst fire station just down central ave, has turned off their siren due to the fact that there is a large elderly population nearby, and they were scared each time their siren sounds. So too our community in woodmere, there is a large nursing home with a large elderly population just on the corner of the same block, and they are also terrified each time the siren sounds. 

While we do respect the tireless work of the firefighters and the staff at the firehouse, we are simply asking they in turn respect their neighbors and the community they are in. By working with us and turning the siren off we can all be even more appreciative of the heroic work the firefighters do for us and our community. 

We, the residents of Woodmere, ask the Woodmere Fire Station to demonstrate respect for its surrounding neighbors and responsibly manage the use of their sirens. We request they turn off the current intrusive notification system and replace it with a modern, less disruptive one. Stand with us in regaining our peace and tranquility. Please sign this petition.