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Select board asks chief to weigh siren options; members propose trial hour changes and directional dampening
Summary
Board discussed reducing disturbance from the central fire station siren by changing hours, adding a dampening device, or limiting use to second alarms. Members agreed to ask Chief Brown for recommendations and consider a temporary hours change to test neighborhood impact.
The select board spent significant time weighing how to balance public safety alerts and neighborhood disturbance from the town's central fire station siren. The chair said, "safety is paramount," and multiple members said they would defer to Chief Brown's professional recommendation on whether to change hours, add a directional dampener on the Main Street side, or reserve the siren for second‑alarm events.
Members suggested a short trial — for example shifting hours to start at 8 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. — while the town consults the fire chief on frequency and technical effects. One member noted the siren historically helped alert firefighters during radio‑silenced emergencies: the board asked staff to return with Chief Brown's recommended mix of dampening, hour changes and second‑alarm use before making a policy change.
