Sirens, she said, are used to give people at a distance a warning, but the air horns are necessary to notify cars and pedestrians in a fire truck's path to get out of the way.

Air Horn, Hi-Lo, Fast and Other NYPD Siren Stylings. By . Jen Chung. Published Jun 15, 2007. Modified Mar 7, 2008. Share ... While demonstrating the different siren sounds to Times reporter Cara ...

The resounding overnight sirens have prompted fierce debate. Some fire officials say the horn is a key part of an emergency response. But some Oyster Bay residents say the horns are disrupting ...