Police Siren Buying Guide

A reliable siren is an essential component of any emergency or first-response vehicle, alerting those around you of your approach well before they may be able to see any visual cues from your emergency lights. At Extreme Tactical Dynamics, we specialize in providing sirens to the emergency vehicle community, stocking a variety of sirens to meet the needs of all first-response vehicles as well as private owners.

Who are we?

In 2005, realizing that high-quality emergency vehicle sirens were not only expensive but difficult to obtain, company founder, Chris, launched Extreme Tactical Dynamics in order to fill a much-needed gap in the market.

Since 2005, Extreme Tactical Dynamics has been providing the police and emergency vehicle community with high-quality lights, sirens, and accessories, designed to stand up to the strict safety and security procedures performed by their police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, EMS and volunteer vehicles. With more than 15 years of experience supplying the police and emergency vehicle community, Extreme Tactical Dynamics has learned the needs of its customers and provides only the very highest quality sirens and light solutions that can be purchased for single private vehicles or entire emergency fleets.

Who do we provide sirens to?

Here at Extreme Tactical Dynamics, we stock sirens suitable for all types of emergency vehicles and first responders and can outfit police vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks, and security vehicles as well as privately owned vehicles (POV) of all kinds. We manufacture sirens suitable for cars, vans, trucks, and motorcycles, so whatever vehicle you operate you can rest assured that we have a siren that will emit the sound that you need to alert those around you.

Why do emergency vehicles need sirens?

Sirens are quite often the first form of warning that a pedestrian or motorist will receive in urban areas where flashing lights or the patrol car itself cannot be easily seen. Efficient in all weather conditions, regardless of whether it is night or day, siren sounds are able to alert the public that an emergency vehicle is nearby and that they may need to move to the side of the road or stop if requested. Despite siren sounds being specifically designed to penetrate through road-traffic noise, music, and day-to-day activity, intersections remain one of the most dangerous places for first-responders and emergency vehicles, and so for this reason when responding to a Code 3 emergency situation it is compulsory for both lights and sirens to be used to provide as much warning to other road users as possible.

Functions of emergency sirens

Aside from helping to ensure the safety of the emergency crew and other road users during high-speed chases or Code-3 emergency responses, sirens also perform many other valuable functions including:

Deterring crime

Just the audible presence of a siren nearby is enough to prevent potential criminal activity in the surrounding area by notifying criminals that law-enforcement is operating nearby.

When responding to any emergency incident, it is vital that first-responders are able to attend the scene as soon as possible. Sirens alert road users to the presence of nearby emergency vehicles so that they can move their vehicles out of the road to allow them quick passage.

During situations where a police officer requires a driver to pull over, a single siren is often used to alert the driver to the patrol cars’ presence, bringing their attention to the flashing lights behind them so that they can safely stop their vehicle.

And lastly, in situations where multiple emergency vehicles are attending the same collision or are operating close to one another, different siren tones can be used to communicate the presence of multiple vehicles to other motorists and pedestrians.

The right siren sound for your situation

Siren sounds are designed to penetrate through background noise alerting those nearby to your vehicle that you are present or approaching. There are a number of different siren sounds used around the world, but the main types of siren sound used by emergency vehicles in the United States are the Wail, the Yelp, the Phaser, the Airhorn and the Howler.

The Wail siren sound

The Wail siren tone is one of the most frequently used sirens on police cars and is most commonly used when a police car or emergency vehicle is approaching from a distance. The Wail tone is longer than that of the yelp, and changes pitch slightly as the vehicle approaches helping other road users and pedestrians to make sense of the direction that the emergency vehicle is traveling from and if it is approaching them or getting further away.

The Yelp siren sound

The Yelp siren sound is often used after the Wail to signify that the emergency vehicle is getting closer. This rapid tone is designed to quickly alert road users of the vehicle’s presence so that they can move clear of the road if necessary.

The Phaser siren sound

During heavy traffic, when approaching intersections or if trying to alert a seemingly oblivious vehicle, the Phaser siren emits an extremely fast penetrating noise that is hard to miss. The Phaser tone is so penetrating that it can even be used to drown out the sounds of other siren sounds.

The Air Horn siren sound

Generally, the Wail and Yelp siren sounds are sufficient enough to alert traffic and pedestrians to the presence of an emergency vehicle, however, sometimes an Air Horn siren sound is needed to demand attention. The Air Horn is a deep and low sound and is often used at intersections where a vehicle needs to jump through a stoplight or in traffic jams when vehicles have not sufficiently moved out of the way.

The Hi-Lo siren sound

The Hi-Lo siren sound is typically associated with European emergency vehicles and is a very efficient way to break up more commonly heard siren sounds here in the United States. As the name suggests, a Hi-Lo siren sound emits alternating high and low sounds which appear to change pitch as the siren approaches and passes.

The Power Call siren sound

The Power Call siren sound is growing in popularity across the US and is a great urgent warning siren that is similar in tone to the Hi-Lo siren when used in conjunction with the Wailer siren. Used on a variety of emergency vehicles including fire trucks and ambulances, the Power Call siren is another great way to switch from more conventional siren sounds in situations where you need to get the attention of people who may have become too accustomed to other siren sounds.

The Howler siren sound

Lastly, the Howler siren sound is a pattern of deep, low frequency sounds often used in conjunction with another siren, such as the Wail, to create a sound that is audible but also felt physically by those nearby.

Here at Extreme Tactical Dynamics, we stock a range of standard Wail and Yelp sirens in addition to 200-watt dual-tone and multi-function sirens that emit less common siren sounds such as the Hi-Lo, Power Call and Howler. For situations where you need to amplify your sound further or wish to address the public, we also stock siren speakers and sirens fitted with Public Announcement (PA) systems.

The difference between single and dual-tone sirens

Single-tone sirens

Single-tone sirens typically only require a single smaller, 100-watt speaker and are capable of delivering one siren sound at a time. Single-tone sirens still come with the option for the operator to switch between siren tones depending on the situation they find themselves in, however, each tone can only be played in isolation. 200-watt speakers can be used to deliver a stronger single-tone siren if required.

Dual-tone sirens

Dual-tone 200-watt sirens are becoming increasingly popular, operating with two 100-watt speakers and delivering two tones at any one time. With two speakers, the operator has the ability to combine any two of their siren sounds into one tone, providing more flexibility and making the siren even more efficient at capturing the attention of drivers and pedestrians. Dual-tone sirens also provide the operator with the option to run two of the same tone in sequence or out of sequence, depending on if they wish to amplify the one sound or to run it in alternation as a more rapid version of the conventional tone.

The wattage explained - 100-watt or 200-watt?

Sirens typically come in two wattages, 100-watt and 200-watt. The wattage of the siren you choose will ultimately determine the wattage of the speaker you need. Dual-tone sirens will always be 200-watt, operating with two 100-watt speakers that enable the siren to produce two tones at any one time. Single-tone sirens, on the other hand, come in both 100 and 200-watt variations depending on the range of the sound required.

Is a 200-watt siren twice as loud as 100-watts?

This is perhaps the most commonly asked question when it comes to the wattage of sirens, and the answer may surprise you. A watt is a unit used for measuring power and doesn’t directly correlate to decibels which is the unit for measuring sound. A 100-watt siren will produce an output sound of 124 decibels, however, a 200-watt siren does not double this to 248. The reason why the sound doesn’t double with the doubling of power is that decibels are measured on an algorithmic scale and so the higher up on the decibel scale you go, the more power is needed to make the same degree of change in decibels. Therefore, doubling the power of a siren from 100 to 200-watts actually produces a sound that is just 6 decibels louder.

If 200-watts isn’t louder, then why upgrade?

The benefit of a 200-watt siren over a 100-watt siren doesn’t really have anything to do with the volume of the sound produced, but the range that the sound can travel. At close range, you may not be able to tell any audible difference between the two sirens, but over a larger distance, the difference becomes clearer. Taking into consideration the ambient noise of a city plus the sound insulating nature of a car, a 100-watt siren remains effective on vehicles up to 700 feet away, whereas a 200-watt siren doubles this distance, giving you 1400 feet of effective siren sound. In addition to being able to alert motorists from further away, 200-watt sirens also have the additional benefit of being able to run dual-tones, which are more effective at clearing the way because they demand a higher sense of urgency from drivers.

What to look for in a siren

Here at Extreme Tactical Dynamics, we’ve taken the difficulty out of searching for a siren by creating all of our stock using only the very highest quality components from the most trusted selection of manufacturers. By kitting out your vehicle with a siren from Extreme Tactical Dynamics, you can rest assured that it has been built using only the very best parts so that you can put your full focus into the job at hand. Whether you’re running a Code 3, or are out on patrol, our sirens are with you every step of the way.

Things to consider when looking for a siren

It’s our job to make sure that you receive the right siren for your vehicle, but to do that, we need you to be clear about what you need. Here are some things to consider when looking for a siren.

If you are buying a siren for a private vehicle and not for a department-issued police car, fire truck, or ambulance, then it’s important to do some research into local laws to make sure that it is legal to fit one and to use one on your vehicle. In some places, it is illegal to use a police siren on an unregistered emergency vehicle and we don’t want you to get in trouble.

Controls

We stock a range of sirens from those with simple toggle switches and basic functions through to those with remote control units that are interactive. The kind of controls you need will depend on several factors including your preference as well as other areas of your vehicle you wish to control from your siren control panel.

Integration with lighting

Your siren is just one component of your overall emergency warning system and so it's important to have an idea about how you want it to fit and integrate with other warning systems, such as your vehicle emergency lighting. We stock a selection of full-feature sirens with programmable buttons designed to help you control your lighting and siren all from one place.

Public Announcement systems

Public Announcement systems, (PA’s) are essential if you need to speak directly with the public from your vehicle. PA systems come as standard with all of our siren units, but this isn’t always the case with other siren providers. If you require a PA system, then we’ve got you covered.

Single or dual-tone

Depending on your needs, you may want to purchase a single or a dual-tone siren. Single-tone sirens are designed to play one siren tone at a time, whereas dual-tone sirens can play two tones simultaneously or the same tone in alternation and are considered to be a more effective way of communicating urgency.

100 or 200-watt

Another important thing to consider when purchasing a siren is the wattage of the siren system that you choose. As previously discussed, the wattage of a siren does not directly correlate to the volume of the sound that it produces, but it does have a significant impact on the range that the siren will have. Depending on how you intend to use your siren and whether you require dual-tones or not will determine which wattage is best for your vehicle.

Sirens available from Extreme Tactical Dynamics

Here at Extreme Tactical Dynamics, we stock 16 different emergency vehicle siren systems ranging from 100-Watt compact siren models through to dual-tone multifunctional siren systems. All of our siren systems come with built-in public announcement systems as standard and can be connected with lighting systems to form a complete emergency warning system. Three of our most popular siren systems include:

100 Watt Remote Police and Emergency Vehicle Siren

This siren system remains one of our clients’ firm favorites, packing feature after feature into an affordable siren package. Built with cost-conscious first-responders in mind, the 100-watt Remote Police and Emergency Vehicle Siren comes with a backlit remote control box, multiple siren sounds, 3 different air horn bursts, 2 mechanical siren functions, and a built-in PA system and can be directly connected into a Radio or CB system.

Multifunction 100 Watt Police and Emergency Vehicle Siren

This multifunction 100-watt siren features an all in one control box with 11 buttons and five separate siren tones including the Wail, Yelp, Phaser, Air Horn, and Mechanical. Additional buttons provide full control of your vehicle’s LED emergency lights, and the system also has the ability to manage flash patterns too. As with all of our siren systems, a PA with a microphone comes as standard making the system perfect for a variety of emergency response units.

200 Watt Dual Tone PHASER Police and Emergency Vehicle Siren

Alongside our fantastic selection of 100-watt sirens, we also stock a number of 200-watt siren systems including this Dual Tone Phaser Siren. Equipped to handle up to 4 different light zones, the Phaser provides complete control over your vehicle’s lighting and sound alert systems. As a dual-tone siren, the Phaser also enables you to use two different siren sounds at the same time and comes equipped with standard siren sound built-in including popular Wail and Yelp sounds.

These are just three of the many different siren systems that we have available in our store, with systems suitable for all vehicle types including motorbikes and privately owned vehicles. Click here to view our full range of 100 and 200-watt siren systems.

Looking for something in particular? These links will help to get you to where you want to go:

Extreme Tactical Dynamics Warranty

Although we’re confident that you’re going to get many years of hard work out of your Extreme Tactical Dynamics siren, we issue an extensive warranty on all of our products, just in case. We’re proud to have one of the best warranty offers in the industry which includes:

A 5-year limited warranty on all LEDs used in our products
A 2-year limited warranty on all components
A full 90-day warranty for all replacement parts

We also want to point out that we have an excellent returns and replacements policy, so if you do happen to purchase the wrong siren for your vehicle or if it doesn’t quite fit your needs, then you can return it to us and we will either refund you or replace it with an alternative item.

Do you have any further questions?

As an approved government vendor, we want to ensure that you not only get a great deal on your new siren but that you can also buy from us with confidence. Our customer service team is on hand over the phone, or through our live chat during business hours, to help you answer any of your remaining siren queries. Whether you have a specific question about a particular model or want help choosing the right siren for your vehicle, our team has extensive knowledge about our product range and will be able to point you in the right direction.

If you have no idea where to start, then a quick conversation with one of our team members about your vehicle, its use, and what you are looking for from a siren, is more than enough for them to recommend the right product for you. To find out more about our selection of emergency vehicle sirens, or any of our other components, get in touch today on 1-888-893-3308, start a conversation in our live chat, or fill out our online form and one of our team will get back to you.