VANCOUVER -- If you’re one those drivers or pedestrians who, for whatever reason, is oblivious to the sound of an approaching fire truck’s siren, say hello to the Howler.

That deep, vibrating “boom-box” sound you might be hearing — in the West End, at least — is the fire department’s latest wake-up call for distracted drivers and pedestrians.

“You can actually feel it,” Lt. Carol Messenger of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services said Thursday of the device, being tested in downtown Vancouver on a truck from Fire Hall No. 8 at Smithe and Hamilton. “It has a low-frequency deep tone and it’s quite loud, and it gets attention. It’s like a boom box vibration [and] you can actually feel it. So far, our crews have been happy with its effectiveness.”

Messenger said that the Howler, made by Whelen Engineering in the U.S., is designed for high-traffic areas and intersections that fire trucks need to get through in a hurry. It is used in several American cities.

She said that although traditional sirens attract attention, the Howler — which runs for eight seconds each time it’s activated — takes things a giant step further by producing a noise that’s meant to penetrate a vehicle’s cabin and through the earplugs of pedestrians.

“Today’s vehicles are quite soundproof,” added Messenger. “There’s loud speakers, cellphones, insulation [and] pedestrians have earplugs on. [With Howler], they realize they have to pull over or get out of the crosswalk.”

Messenger said the department has purchased one Howler for $700 and is considering more, although she couldn’t say how many of their 54 fire trucks would need them.

“In the U.S., there are reports of a significant drop in intersection accidents when using this type of siren. Some people call it the Growler.”

Messenger cited one recent instance when a fire truck equipped with the Howler approached a Vancouver intersection where a pedestrian with an iPod was totally oblivious to the regular siren.

“When they turned [the Howler] on, [the pedestrian] looked up and definitely moved in an expedited manner.”

Asked if downtown residents might not appreciate a boom-box-type siren early in the morning, Messenger said it’s all about safety and that the Howler will be used with discretion. “And there’s always the potential for noise near a fire hall.”

bmorton@vancouversun.com