DEP NYC Noise app
For years, New Yorkers have asked for quieter sirens. It's time to act.
The city should pass legislation to add a 311 siren noise complaint category, Brewer's bill to allow emergency vehicles to emit low-frequency pulses, and Riversa's bill to replace the New York siren with the lower-frequency two-tone siren used in Europe.
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More info on DAMAGE FROM SIRENS from Curbed, 2023:
"Constant blaring sounds can deteriorate a community’s health. Besides hearing loss, noise pollution has been linked to high blood pressure, sleep disruption, and stress, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. As Bonner says: 'People’s nervous systems and bodies are not able to rest. They’re always in a state of fight or flight.'"
"In June 2023, the City Council introduced two bills to quiet the sirens. One bill, sponsored by Councilmember Gale Brewer, proposes to add a device to emergency vehicles that would emit a low-frequency pulse, already used in the U.K. and across the U.S., that drivers can feel instead of hear. The second bill, sponsored by Councilmember Carlina Rivera, aims to replace the blaring New York siren with the lower-frequency two-tone siren popular in Europe. (You can hear it here.)"
"A 2015 University of Michigan study found that reducing noise by even five decibels could decrease a community’s prevalence of hypertension by 1.4 percent and coronary heart disease by 1.8 percent — that’s approximately 279,000 fewer cases."
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Claims from the city:
"DEP Launches New, Innovative Mobile App to Better Understand the City's Noise –– NYC Noise’ Lets New Yorkers Measure, Classify and Track Decibel Levels and Noise Types –– Real-Time Data Will Help Identify Hotspots and Guide Targeted Enforcement
"The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the release of NYC Noise, a new, innovative mobile application that will help both residents and DEP gain a deeper understanding of the city’s noise. Available for free on iPhone and Android, the app enables users to record decibel levels, classify noise types, and visualize noise levels in their surroundings while providing valuable data to DEP. Using the app, New Yorkers can document the time, date, location, and source of a noise by taking a simple five-second reading. Results appear in both map and table formats, showing average and maximum decibel levels along with user notes on noise type—such as construction, traffic, or music. By allowing New Yorkers to measure and track noise in their neighborhood, DEP can better analyze citywide noise patterns. This data will help DEP identify hotspots and guide targeted enforcement efforts."
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NYC skyline image from Bekim M.