Sleep deprived since the October 22, 2009 PG&E power upgrade on Washington Street near Buchanan, the creation of this blog is an effort to do something about it. Normal channels aren’t working fast enough.
If you are experiencing similar disturbances, please join the conversation. Misery loves company. The objective is to identify the cause and galvanize the neighborhood towards retaining some control over the quality of our lives.
PULSE POINTS?
- CPMC, Buchanan—Grates on Buchanan and Clay stairway; air vents by ER on Buchanan; hospital itself vibrating from internal/external combination of sounds.
- Stern Building, 2330 Clay—Roof refrigeration units, very loud hum, clearly audible in doctor’s parking lot and on Washington side of building.
- Rehabilitation Building, 2360 Clay—Power generator or air ventilator producing whining hum.
- Defective Street Lamp, Clay (Across from 2360 Clay)—Hissing whine carries all the way up clay rising towards entry plaza on Buchanan.
- Loading Dock Area, Clay—Ambient noise of varying levels, 24/7.
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It’s not clear who you are and what is the purpose of your blog . You indicate that your objective is to help people gain control over their lives yet do not offer how this can be done. Although it is appreciated that you are making efforts to educate about ILFN health effects, I would appreciate knowing a little more of your background in order to gain confidence with your blog.
This is a blog currently about neighborhood noise effects, particularly an unidentified pulse believed to be coming from a large hospital complex within a few hundred feet of my house. This is a residential neighborhood with the hospital representing the only nearby source of industrial sound. The pulse began after an electrical cable upgrade. I am hoping to find others that can hear the pulse or similar sounds from the same vicinity within the Pacific Heights neighborhood. If so, the blog could eventually morph into something more reflecting the “pulse” of a community that sticks together in time of need.
The hospital’s parent organization is in the midst of trying to get long-term major expansion plans approved by local government. These plans affect my neighborhood and other communities where the hospital has facilities. People will be directly displaced from their homes and businesses, or indirectly displaced because harmful effects like noise pollution, clogged traffic, increased crime. The harm to community versus the benefits of the hospital expansion, which are dubious and likely profit induced, are under debate presently. It’s an odd coincidence that my problem began at an inopportune time for the hospital and I am hoping to use such leverage with the community.
I have slept through the night only four times in the last month due to the low frequency pulse. Apparently, I am the only one complaining about it. The bottom line advice I get from most is, “Move.” I’ve lived in my home for two and half decades and refuse to be driven out easily. Future posts will describe progress I am making, or hope to make with hospital and government officials. The most responsive organization to date has been our local electrical utility company. They have identified a pulse and other noise issuing from the hospital vicinity.
Meanwhile, I am being treated as either delusional, crazy, or too small a sample size with which to bother. The effects of the pulse are not confined to lack of sleep, but include headaches at the back of head above the base of my spine, between my ears and earaches accompanied by popping. I explained some of this in other posts. My intention here is to show that low frequency sound is believed to have harmful effects. Even if it is still debatable, others may be unknowingly harmed by sound that they cannot hear.
The research cited to date on this blog is what I could easily find in the past week and certainly does not reflect all or even the most accurate information. Perhaps more knowledgeable people will set me straight, should they have an interest in this local curious problem. I shall post to this blog if I come across additional information that is pertinent. For instance, why people, like me, seem to be a minority in their susceptibility to low frequency sound.
I note that you write a blog about wind turbine development. While that is not the issue here, some of the harmful effects of wind energy development may have a cause in common with effects of the low frequency pulse discussed here. Learning about your issue is one of the good things that has come from my problem.
I hope this clarifies things for you.
Obviously, if all is resolved positively, I shall report so. If there is little interest in this blog or usage of this blog to communicate neighborhood issues, I shall cease to post here.
Please note that you have a small spelling mistake in Disturbance above in the title.
Rural Grubby, I appreciate such feedback, you are right! Just shows how fatigued I am. The title image was clipped from a poster I created and distributed one night in desperation. Thank you! I’ll backtrack and correct the materials impacted and update the image.