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Writer: remember, for whom the siren tolls Dear Editor: I am compelled to write this letter in reference to the article that appeared in the Amityville Record, October 24, Fire Department siren causing alarm with residents. Please note that I am not a member nor have I ever been a member of any fire department or rescue squad. Here we go again, NIMBYs (not in my backyard) complaining about a fire siren that is "abusive to the community being operated late at night and early morning...and not only do taxpaying residents wake up and lose sleep but some end up staying awake and suffer sleep deprivation." Yet these individuals who complain, want and gladly accept the "free" services provided by our dedicated men and women volunteers of the Amityville Fire Department. I wonder if any of these residents ever think about when that siren is activated, what it signals. Well, a simple explanation, it means that those volunteer men and women are needed to help someone. May it be on a cold snowy night and have to immediately get out of their nice warm bed and get into their icecold car and rush to where they are needed to save someone's home from burning to the ground with all their treasured belongings. Maybe someone fell and broke bones and has to go to the hospital. Their personal lives are left behind because someone needs them. You people that complain about the noise can stay nice and warm under your blankets. Stop and think about our faithful department members who are out fighting the elements and away from their families putting their lives at jeopardy. Sometimes these people are out all night with no sleep and still have to report to work the next day. Talk about sleep deprivation, ask a volunteer about that. Now let us put the shoe on the other foot. What about the people that work nights and sleep during the day? These individuals have the same kind of situation, only in a different time frame. Just think about that. The police, delivery people, nurses, doctors, construction workers, etc., sleep during the day. They have the same problem with the noise from sirens plus add the landscapers, kids playing etc. Maybe we should have the sirens turned off during the day so as not to disturb their sleep? I would let them even put a siren on the roof of my house if needed because I know that when that siren goes, our fine men and woman are on the way to help someone. I just hope and pray that the siren is not for me.
Cortley F. Lottman, Amityville
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