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Sirens no longer kick off trick-or-treating in Bedford Township

For three decades, storm sirens used to go off to begin and end trick-or-treating, but township leaders say that tradition has come to an end this year.

MONROE COUNTY, Michigan — That start of trick-or-treating in Bedford Township has been the same for three decades. But this year, it was a little different.

"We just decided we can't do the sirens this year," Bedford Township fire chief Bob Vanklingeren said.

Storm sirens would go off at 6 p.m. to give kids the green light to collect candy and then go off again at eight to signal the end of trick-or-treating.

"As we started renovating stations, we knew it was an older system," Vanklingeren said.

Vanklingeren said they had special sirens just for the holiday but got rid of them due to cutting costs.

The chief also said the department has gotten calls from people in other communities that they don't like the sirens going off. Especially as storms roll in Thursday night, the chief said they don't want to startle anyone.

"The sirens reach a long area. So if our residents knew about it, the surrounding residents may not have known about it," Vanklingeren said. "So they hear a siren and could be panicked from that."

But some in the area, like James Brunt, are sad to see the sirens go.

"It's nice to know that people know when to pack it in, especially if they're not from the area that, 'Hey, it's time.' Otherwise, people just keep continuing to come up to doors," Brunt said. "I know you can check your light off, but some people maybe don't see that or they don't pay attention to that."

Even though the future of having sirens again isn't clear, Vanklingeren said they want to make sure kids have a sweet night.

"We're started to put fire engines out in neighborhoods so we can hand out candy and talk to children and actually be on the ground with them," Vanklingeren said. "Just to make sure everybody's safe handing out candy, interacting with the people and continuing a new tradition."

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