Kamloops: City of Sirens

It has become increasingly annoying to hear sirens nearly every time I go outside. Noticing that I have become almost apathetic towards the reason for the siren, I asked Google “emotional effect of hearing sirens”. I wasn’t surprised by the result.

Google’s AI Overview

Hearing sirens can trigger a variety of emotional responses, from mild annoyance to intense fear and anxiety. The emotional impact can be influenced by personal experiences, the context of the siren’s sound, and even the type of siren being heard. Research shows that exposure to siren noise can increase the likelihood of experiencing feelings of stress, anxiety, and even depression.

Here’s a more detailed look at the emotional impact:

Stress and Anxiety:
Sirens are often associated with emergencies, which can trigger the body’s stress response. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and a heightened state of alertness, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Fear and Discomfort:
The high-pitched, urgent sound of a siren can be unnerving and even frightening, particularly if it’s unexpected or associated with a negative past experience. A study from Ynetnews showed that phantom sirens can even lead to PTSD symptoms in some individuals.

Irritation and Annoyance:
While sirens might not always cause severe anxiety, they can be a source of annoyance, especially if they are frequent or long-lasting.

Personal Associations:
Sirens can evoke strong emotional responses based on past experiences. For example, someone who has witnessed an accident might feel heightened anxiety or fear when they hear a siren. Studies on sirens have shown that exposure to siren noise can increase the likelihood of experiencing feelings of stress, anxiety, and even depression.

Cognitive Function:
Siren noise can also interfere with cognitive function, potentially leading to decreased focus and increased errors. 

Physical Effects:
The stress response triggered by sirens can also have physical effects, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and muscle tension. 

Phonophobia:
In some cases, loud sounds like sirens can trigger phonophobia, an intense fear or anxiety of loud noises. 

Alarm Fatigue:
Repeated exposure to sirens, especially if they don’t lead to any real danger, can lead to alarm fatigue, where individuals become desensitized to the sound and don’t respond effectively when a real emergency occurs. 

My Thoughts

Although the AI Overview seems to be mainly based on a study of firefighter exposure to sirens, the impacts above resonate with me. 

Stress and Anxiety:
Just as with lightning, we seem to intuitively try to determine whether the sirens are getting closer to us. And just as intuitively, we seem to feel relief when we determine it isn’t getting closer.

Since Kamloops was identified as the Crime Capital of Canada, that’s the first place my thoughts go. Another crime!

Since “catch and release” has become the norm, I am already anticipating the bottom of the related news item. “Alleged suspect released on conditions”. I’m also anticipating another article down the road. “RCMP seek public assistance in locating …”. Really? You want my help finding a criminal you already had in your custody?

My neighbors have been victims of theft. I watched a very high individual try to break into a neighbor’s home. After calling RCMP, I approached the individual and asked what he was doing? Holding a window screen in his hands that he had removed, he replies: “someone is trying to break in”. 

I had to have another individual removed from the back of my home. After some flickering under a tarp, the fellow emerges, urinates through the fence into my neighbor’s yard, then spreads his belongings out in my driveway. I admit, I’m a NIMBY. I don’t want this in my backyard!

Fear and Discomfort:
Shootings and gang-related and drug-related violence seems to be ever increasing. When there is police activity on your street, fear seems to be a reasonable reaction. After all, we now assume the suspects will be back, and likely the same day.

Fire season has replaced much of spring, summer, and fall. Kamloops seems to be home to multiple firebugs and other individuals who lack common sense and/or care and consideration for public safety. How many of us fear a sudden evacuation warning or order?

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more aware of our mortality. Sirens are an immediate reminder that next time, they may be coming for me. Having that reminder multiple times per day is definitely discomforting.

Irritation and Annoyance:
Totally relate to this one. The frequency of the sirens are ridiculous. 

When I think about another addict OD’ing, I do get irritated. Don’t drink bleach. Don’t eat Tide pods. And please, don’t take illicit drugs!

Aside from the heartbreak this causes family and friends, there are other side effects to the drug crisis. We don’t often hear about the mental challenges that can arise after being Narcanned, but there often can be. We don’t often hear about the aggressive reactions after being Narcanned, but those administering Narcan put themselves at risk. 

Emergency room and ambulance waits have increased. You’ll often see individuals under the influence who have become regulars. This strains resources and certainly doesn’t help attract more professionals to the healthcare industry. If I have a heart attack or a stroke, will I be able to get help in time?

Annoying goes without saying. Don’t we have a right to peacefully enjoy our homes and yards? Do they still send fire, police, and ambulances to every call? Can’t they figure out what they need, and just send the appropriate service? Do sirens have to be that loud? Can’t someone come up with a better way to get cars to move out of the way?

Personal Associations:
I can see how sirens can be triggering and cause depression. I still think back to following an ambulance from Barriere to RIH where my dad later passed away. Immense sadness often accompanies my thoughts and memories of family members that have passed.

Cognitive Function
This is something I didn’t think about before, but it makes sense. Sirens always cause me to think about things other than what I was doing previously. Is it possible that the distraction could result in mistakes, accidents, and even injury? It sure is.

Physical Effects:
Sirens have not helped my blood pressure, but I didn’t think it could be causing it to increase.

Phonophobia:
This is a new word for me. Do people fear record players, or loud music? Hopefully not. But loud noises? Sure, but that may be when they hear what sounds like nearby gunshots. And then they hear the siren.

Alarm Fatigue:
This may explain my impending apathy towards sirens. If I’m driving, I still pull over, but even this frequency borders on annoying. Personally I think it’s unhealthy to become apathetic when someone’s life or safety may hang in the balance. I hope I never get to that point.