To the spouter that still believes the fire sirens are necessary: One of your arguments is that it alerts pedestrians that a fire engine will be moving soon. Doesn't the apparatus have warning equipment on it? What about paramedics and police? Should we have a siren go off to alert pedestrians that those vehicles will be moving shortly? The poor folks on islands get confused, is it flooding or are firemen going to a call? I know those things are around because the old-timers like the tradition, and darned if you argue against them.