Sounds of sirens indicating an emergency or nearby house fire– in most localities across the nation — have become a thing of the past. That is not the case in Youngsville.

One resident during a borough meeting told council members the noise, especially at night, has become a nuisance for him and his wife. He suggested that the municipalilty needs to look at a more peaceful option — one that will not wake residents during sleeping hours.

“Invest in a new telecommunications system,” resident Daniel Johnson said. “When municipal policies… are a public health hazard, they should be changed. It’s damaging to each and every person in this community when they can’t get a decent night’s sleep.”

Fire Chief Vern Edmisten responded to his comments noting the siren is valuable to many in times of a community crisis. One of those instances could include a major weather event, such as a tornado, during the overnight hours when residents would need to be alerted.

But working without the siren will come at a cost to Youngsville. Officials estimate a new alert system would cost upwards of $16,000.

We don’t disagree with either side. A siren is both necessary at this point — but an inconvenience. The bottom line, for now, is all emergencies come with an inconvenience — for both residents and those who volunteer with the fire department.