More from the article ...

... But the city is now taking a gentler approach. A new system that went online in September includes alarms that start softer before gradually increasing in volume, while a computerized voice calmly announces the information the firefighters need to know about the incoming emergency.

"It's much easier on your nervous system," Lunnie said.

Danbury, a city of around 87,000 people in southwestern Connecticut, is using the new alerts in its five fire stations, joining thousands of other departments around the U.S. and world aiming to both reduce stress and improve response times. ...

A less alarming alarm

On a recent weekday, a call came into Danbury's main fire station and the alert began with a single, soft tone. "Truck 1," said the automated female voice. "Respond to sick person," it said, giving the patient's address.

Around the firehouse, warm, red lighting flashed while monitors displayed the nature and location of the emergency. A timer display began to count down from two minutes, with the goal of firefighters leaving the station before the time ran out.

It's both calmer and clearer than the old system, which began with full-volume single tones followed by cacophony of longer ones that fluctuated between high and low pitches.

Dispatchers would previously announce the calls over the station speaker system, which firefighters said could be static-y and hard to understand. ...