Dublin Fire Brigade two Tone air horn

highdef

Walking along the canal beside Davitt Road the other day, a fire tender was approaching from the South Circular Road direction. The usual siren was sounding bit as it got closer to me (and as it encountered much heavier traffic), an older style two Tone air horn began sounding, in addition, presumably operated by the driver. Are there many units from Dublin Fire Brigade that still have the air horns? It gave me flashbacks of emergency service sirens of ambulances and fire engines in the 80's. There's something about the two Tone air horns that makes them sound more urgent, IMO.

sgthighway

In Ireland most sirens have the option of 3 tones but you can get up to 16 including one that makes the two tone sound. Those old two tone horns use to burn out easily hence most are electronic amps with a speaker now. While most work those 3 sirens through the steering wheel horn I have seen another button to active an air horn siren on some new trucks. Saw it on new ambulances destined for outside the EU too. It was like a big red panic button. Not sure how effective having different options are. I always reckoned Ambulances, Gardai and Fire Brigade should have different sirens to distinguish them from afar.

highdef

The two Tone I heard was definitely not electronic. It was sounding in addition to the electronically generated siren... Two sirens at the same time.

onmia

I had been told in the past by a member of the DFB from Tallaght that they have and use the two tone because everybody is used to hearing the electronic sirens. When people hear the old two tone they instantly know Its the DFB.

Liamalone

I thought two tone horn was a thing of the past due to elf n safety regs. No longer present on newer wagons up north, only on old rickles use as spares.

highdef

Liamalone wrote: »

I thought two tone horn was a thing of the past due to elf n safety regs. No longer present on newer wagons up north, only on old rickles use as spares.

What are the health and safety issues with a two tone air horn siren? Due to their characteristics, it's simple to tell if the vehicle is approaching you or driving away from you. That can't be a bad thing.

highdef

Go to about 3:30 in this YouTube video and you can hear it quite clearly https://youtu.be/KfuKAKrhXag