HB-5632, a bill to reduce the use of loud sirens on ambulance and rescue vehicles, has become law.
 
Thanks to the leadership of State Representative Christian Mitchell in Springfield, the Illinois Vehicle Code amendment states that municipal emergency vehicles shall operate a siren only when it is reasonably necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach, while responding to an emergency call or transporting a patient who presents a need for immediate medical intervention that is beyond the capabilities of the emergency responders using the available supplies and equipment.
 
As anyone who has stood on a sidewalk as an ambulance passed by knows, Chicago’s emergency vehicles are the loudest in the country. After receiving constituent feedback, attending multiple community meetings and co-hosting a SOAR town hall, I worked with Representative Mitchell to find a solution and limit excessive noise from emergency vehicles that posed a public health threat to our constituents.
 
This new law is a good start to curbing the excessively loud siren noise in our community. However, Representative Mitchell and I will continue our collaborations to advocate for further decibel reductions of emergency sirens.
 
Thank you to those who wrote letters and emails to my office, as well as to representatives in Springfield. Your voices helped bring this measure over the finish line. Special thanks to Kathlyn Maguire and Empowerment Through Hearing, Inc. for their tireless efforts on this issue.

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