Seriously, suing because the siren made you go deaf

[Just Plain Ruff]

http://www.jems.com/article/news/pa-firefighters-sue-over-hearing-loss-si

Discuss.

[Happiness]

When I drive code 3 my windows are up, when the firemen drive code three and they are not in the cab they put in earplugs.

[Arctickat]

A few years ago I conducted an evaluation of various ambulances to determine if hearing loss could be a risk for paramedics. It's a very real possibility, not from the siren, but simply the ambient noise during travel. A brand new ambulance with zero equipment in it was just below the threshold for long term exposure. However, an equipped ambulance that had over 60,000km on it would be in the low 90 dbs. With the siren on it didn't change much unless the siren was a roof mount like back in the 1980s.

Looking at this chart, exposure to 90db for 2 hours can cause hearing loss. When I travel at highway speeds with my ambulance, we are well over that threshold for 4 - 5 hours. I wanted to conduct actual evaluations over a 5 year period with rural medics, urban medics, and the standard norms but I couldn't find an audiologist to assist me.

Here's a little more info, This may be frivolous, however, there is a definite risk.

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/noise-induced-hearing-loss/

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/noise.aspx

[Just Plain Ruff]

I agree that there is a risk but there have been mitigating equipment for years. The question that needs to be asked is did these 4 guys use those ear protection consistently? Was that protection provided?

Were they too cool to wear the protection?

The suit may be frivolous like you said, but yes it might have merit as well.

This is a suit that many many departments are going to watch with intense interest. It's also going to be watched by a bunch of people who are just waiting in the wings all thinking "Damn, why didn't we think of this"

I do know one thing, now that the lawsuit has been filed, I'll bet some SOP's have been polished and given out to many members of many many departments telling them of "mandatory use of ear protection" with penalties for non-compliance to stave off the sting of any future lawsuits.

[scubanurse]

Our Occ health tested hearing every year and the 5 years I was active in the department, I had a noticeable decrease in my hearing acuity. I was an idiot and hardly ever wore hearing protection so I blame myself 100% for it. We had a policy in place that hearing protection be used but it was frequently ignored. It made it clear though that if we went deaf it was because of our own fault.

[Arctickat]

Problem here is that OSHA here doesn't require us to have hearing protection. Also, what about the patient? For those agencies that have hearing protection for the crew, is there any for the patient as well?

[Chief1C]

Put the siren in the bumper. Problem solved.

[Arctickat]

Put the siren in the bumper. Problem solved.

Did you read my post? Those sound levels are just road noise, not the siren.

[paramedicmike]

I read it. I still can't hear you.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I read it. I still can't hear you.

What, can you repeat yourself, I'm having a very very hard time hearing you.