Kokomo, Indiana: Noise City

Noise Free America has given its June "Noisy Dozen" award to Kokomo, Indiana for tolerating massive pulses of low-frequency sounds that assault neighborhoods and make people sick. The vibrations from electromagnetic pulse in Kokomo are linked to headaches, diarrhea, sleeplessness, nausea, dizziness, brain damage, vertigo, and frazzled nerves. The "Kokomo hum" is a constant low-pitched rumbling noise.

Noise Free America has given its June "Noisy Dozen" award to Kokomo, Indiana for tolerating massive pulses of low-frequency sounds that assault neighborhoods and make people sick. The vibrations from electromagnetic pulse in Kokomo are linked to headaches, diarrhea, sleeplessness, nausea, dizziness, brain damage, vertigo, and frazzled nerves. The "Kokomo hum" is a constant low-pitched rumbling noise.

Kokomo is home to a huge Daimler Chrysler transmission plant, the world headquarters of the Delco division of Delphi Automotive, and Haynes International (manufacturers of high-performance alloys).

Kathie Sickles, head of Noise Free Kokomo, said, "If you think the power behind a boom car is really powerful, come to Kokomo and see what our frequency can really do. Spend the summer in one of our homes with your family and experience the noise and vibrations with electromagnetic fields. Watch your family's health deteriorate. Then you will understand."

LaQuita Zimmerman, also of Kokomo, noted that "the Kokomo hum is real. It causes vibroacoustic disease. It drives spikes of pain through people's eyes, ears, bones, and joints. It churns my guts. It causes Kokomo kids to wake up in the middle of the night with bloody noses. It robs people of their sleep and their sanity. It hurts children and women the most."

Zimmerman also noted that "dozens of other communities across the country and the world have been sickened by low-frequency noise. There's the 'Taos hum' in northern New Mexico, the 'Larg hum' in Scotland, and the 'Bristol hum' in England. Your community might be next."

According to Kathie Sickles, Indiana Senator Richard Lugar has been helpful in addressing low-frequency noise in Kokomo. She also noted that the Kokomo city council has allocated $1000,000 to address the problem.

"But it's time for action," she said. "We need tough standards on industrial noise--just like in Europe."

Ted Rueter, executive director of Noise Free America, commented that "low-frequency concussion waves are extremely harmful--from boom cars or frmo industrial electromagnetic pulse. We need to place public health above corporate profits. Noise pollution can be physically devastating."

Noise Free America is a lobby group dedicated to reducing noise pollution. Its web site is http://www.noisefree.org.

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