A South Coast police department is one of the latest in the region to add new high-tech sirens to its vehicles with specific sounds to let people know evacuations are taking place during an emergency.
The Ventura Police department has equipped its 44 vehicles with these European-style “hi-low” sirens. They’ll be installed on the department’s half dozen motorcycles in the next few weeks.
The distinctive sound comes from two fixed pitches, one high and one low. The idea is to get people to recognize the sirens, and know they mean an evacuation order is in place. It would be reserved for emergencies like a wildfire, flood or earthquake.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office installed the “Hi-Lo” systems in its units last year.
