Dear Editor:
How is it justified that hundreds of persons are disturbed throughout the night by ambulances blaring their sirens? This happens constantly. The latest incident has just occurred — at 5 a.m. I was once again shocked out of my sleep by a shrieking siren sounded four or five times. I looked out my window to witness an ambulance with lights flashing, going quite slowly the wrong way down 13th Street from Washington to Hudson. As it passed beneath my window its siren again shrieked twice setting up shock waves which caused me great stress and tension to my head, neck and shoulders leading to a very considerable headache which I am now trying to endure.
What of animals whose hearing is roughly 15 times more sensitive than humans?
I don’t know which direction this rogue ambulance turned on Hudson Street but I surmised that there was no great emergency by the fact it was (a) traveling quite slowly; and (b) the siren was thereafter silent.
Isn’t it true that ambulances from St. Mary (and other area hospitals) cruise the streets and simply activate the siren because the driver and helper don’t feel like stopping at red lights and certain corners (I’ve witnessed this at 13th and Bloomfield also)?
If this is the case, it demonstrates a profound unconcern for everyone and everything that is sleeping at night, and I suggest it could be simply bloody-mindedness (or ignorance) on the part of the crews who man these vehicles.
A copy of this letter shall go to St. Mary Hospital, the police and the Mayor’s office. Something ought to be done to curb these nocturnal disruptions, and those responsible must be punished for this protracted terrorism aimed at the citizens of Hoboken and beyond. Any thoughts?
David Hakes