Some City Council members are trying to muffle the sirens on emergency vehicles.
A bill reintroduced by Councilwomen Carlina Rivera (D-Lower East Side) and Gale Brewer (D-Upper West Side), would cap sirens at 90 decibels, about as loud as a leaf blower — and 30 decibels less than they are now.
It would also require that sirens use an alternating, high-low frequency sound like what is heard across the pond.
“We know that New York is a loud city but that doesn’t mean we have to suffer ear-piercing siren noise that disrupts daily life and neighborhood enjoyment while still allowing these vehicles to get through and get to people in time,” Rivera said at a hearing last week.
Rivera was once a dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America and voted to defund the police, The Post reported.
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Supporters say the reduction in noise level would reduce hypertension and coronary heart disease, according to a 2016 study from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and that the European-style high-low siren is less shrill and contributes to less noise pollution.
Critics said the bill prioritizes a necessary nuisance over safety.
Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) said lowering the sirens would “defeat their purpose.”
“We need to be taking measures to save lives here, and the louder sirens can give emergency personnel a few extra, potentially vital seconds to get to a victim and successfully rescue them,” she told The Post.
