HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. --
A screaming-loud fire whistle has some neighbors rattled in the West Point area of Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County.
WTAE Channel 4's Jennifer Miele reported that the West Point Volunteer Fire Department's whistle sits high atop a pole in the middle of the neighborhood.
"Our pastor is very well-spoken, but I don't think anyone could speak above that siren," said Amy Fauth, who said it can be heard during church services.
"We started out with a siren problem. No fireman problem. No animosity. We think they do a good job. The problem is we are being subjected to a long, hard blast," neighbor Rich Janesko said.
"The sirens would go off in the middle of games. It was an irritation, but all the kids on the field would go like this," said Fauth, covering her ears with her hands.
Carol Pyle has the sound memorized. She did her impersonation of it for Miele.
"I'd say three or four minutes, going on and on and on. And if nobody comes, they do it all over again, and still nobody comes sometimes," said Pyle.
The whistle only sounds in case of an emergency, but neighbors said they think the length of time that it goes off could be shortened.
The fire department did not return Miele's calls for comment on Wednesday.
The president of Hempfield's firefighters association told Miele that parts have been ordered to cut the siren from three minutes to one minute.
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