Online timer for 22 seconds
With the emergency-kit whistle ready, wait quietly through the 22 seconds before checking whether the finishing sound reaches you. This short pause gives nearby conversation, wind, rain on the roof, or a running radio time to reveal how easily one signal can disappear beneath another. Keep the whistle unused until the interval ends, so the check has a clear starting point.
Testing the whistle more than once can show whether the result is consistent rather than a lucky moment of quiet. Let each countdown finish, pause briefly, then repeat from the same spot while another person listens from the hallway, garage, or outside the house. Separate runs also make it easier to compare a closed door with an open one without mixing the conditions.
While waiting beside the emergency kit, listen to the background noise as closely as you expect someone else to hear the whistle. In a Wellington southerly, during heavy rain, or near a household radio carrying emergency updates, the finishing sound may be masked. If it is hard to hear, keep the phone closer or use vibration, then test the whistle from a safe distance without blowing beside anyone’s ear.
Common questions
Why might this interval feel too short for checking an emergency-kit whistle?
A listener moving through a larger home may not reach the intended position before the signal. Allow more time when doors, stairs, or an outdoor listening point are part of the check.
What if the whistle check is finished before the set interval ends?
Wait quietly for the finishing sound so each repeated test follows the same timing. If background noise changes meanwhile, note that condition and run a separate check.
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