Leaving on the lights while on scene?

[spnjsquad]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if you tend to leave on your response lights while on scene. I'm referring to home/public ill and accident calls. We tend to turn them off when on scene, or put on what we call "scene lights" which are just the two corners of the front and back lightbars flashing. What about you? Also, on DOA or DNR calls do you tend to leave off the lights?

 

[rescue1]

If the ambulance is on the road, maybe because there's no driveway, or because its an auto accident, etc, I leave the lights on for visibility. I have been known to turn them on when we get on scene if we responded non-emergency.

If we've pulled into the driveway and aren't in danger from other vehicles, it's driver's discretion. Some of the lights automatically shut off in park, much like yours can be set to manually. A DOA is not an emergency call in my area, so there would be no lights on. I usually leave mine on, mainly because it slips my mind.

We rarely transport emergency anyway, so the lights will get turned off when we start to transport, but I think lights on scene is basically personal preference.

 

[STXmedic]

Leave 'em on. I wish I never had to turn them on to begin with on most calls.

 

[exodus]

If I remember, I turn them off if we're not parked *in* the roadway.

 

[Medic Tim]

If we are on a roadway or there is a situation where we need more visibility they lights stay/are turned on.
we have had a few incidents where crews responded to restaurants, stores, etc. they parked in from of the doors, fire lane, handicapped, etc and shut the lights off. Several people took pictures and it caused alot of negative pr as people thought we were just parking there to abuse our "power"

 

[DesertMedic66]

I usually leave them on unless I'm in a neighborhood at night.

I usually forget to turn them off and it doesn't make any difference, fire leaves their lights on 99.997% of the time.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

I've always seen them left on. Only time they go off is upon arrival at the ED. At night, at least around here, trucks tend to keep sirens off in neighborhoods but will still always leave lights on. Even for them, its still better safe then sorry.

 

[Handsome Robb]

I usually turn them off unless we're obstructing traffic or I have a reason that I want the increased visibility. At night I generally turn them off once we get into the neighborhood and turn the flood lights on. I have bad enough vision at night, add disco lights and addresses are nearly impossible to see. Once we get to the house I'll leave the floods on that Will illuminate where we're going to be working and/or walking and kill the rest out of courtesy for the people that live in the neighboring houses or apartments. Pretty annoying to be woken up at oh dark thirty by code lights on a unit that's sitting still in a neighborhood with no traffic.

 

[medichopeful]

Generally they stay on on scene. When I'm in the patient compartment, I usually tell my partner to transport priority 3 (no lights, no siren, with traffic), so once we get off scene and out into traffic the lights usually go off.

 

[medichopeful]

Only time they go off is upon arrival at the ED.

Why not transport some things without lights? Much safer that way!

 

[Handsome Robb]

Why not transport some things without lights? Much safer that way!

Quoted. And bolded. For. Truth.

 

[Medic Tim]

I've always seen them left on. Only time they go off is upon arrival at the ED. At night, at least around here, trucks tend to keep sirens off in neighborhoods but will still always leave lights on. Even for them, its still better safe then sorry.

Why not transport some things without lights? Much safer that way!

Quoted. And bolded. For. Truth.

That drove me nuts when I did part of my paramedic internship in Boston . Every response and and every return to hospital was ran lights and siren ...except BLS ift.

 

[TransportJockey]

If I had my way they would rarely get turned on

 

[OnceAnEMT]

Why not transport some things without lights? Much safer that way!

Sorry, since we were talking about lights I figured we were assuming emergency transport. Obviously you only run lights in the first place as necessary. A transport doesn't require lights.

 

[Mainspring]

Sorry, since we were talking about lights I figured we were assuming emergency transport. Obviously you only run lights in the first place as necessary. A transport doesn't require lights.

except some hospitals are contracted so that you have to go lights and sirens not matter what... puts pt and crew in more danger then necessary, all to save maybe 2 minutes for transport that is not even critical... :glare:

 

[OnceAnEMT]

except some hospitals are contracted so that you have to go lights and sirens not matter what... puts pt and crew in more danger then necessary, all to save maybe 2 minutes for transport that is not even critical... :glare:

I'll be sure to laugh at any crew I see inbound hot with a Pt experiencing toe pain secondary to boo-boos. From personal experience I will say pick a different company if that's what you're stuck with. Pleeeenty out there.

 

[Rialaigh]

Get cut off as we are pulling in the driveway. Usually get cut off pulling into the neighborhood. Usually don't get cut on in the first place because we have discretion as to whether or not to run lights and sirens, if we don't think it will save time we don't have to run them even on priority 1 dispatches...its a rural area, they don't go on 80% of the time +

 

[Tigger]

The console makes beeping noises when you put the truck in park if the lights are on, so that usually reminds me to kill them. The only time I don't is if we beat fire or flight so they have something to aim at, or if we are on a busy road. 4 ways work on an ambulance too...

 

[medichopeful]

Sorry, since we were talking about lights I figured we were assuming emergency transport. Obviously you only run lights in the first place as necessary. A transport doesn't require lights.

Ah. Glad we're on the same page!

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Why not transport some things without lights? Much safer that way!

This one. I like this one.

Despite my screen name....I cannot stand running code 3. Last shift I transported code 3 for the first time in probably 6 months. Then again, it is a four lane road all the way from my town to the hospital, and I seem to catch 99% of my calls at night anyhow, when we'll pass 2 people on a 20 mile transport.