# Idle? Turn it off?



## fm_emt (Feb 9, 2007)

Ok, when you roll up to a scene, do you guys...

A Let the rig idle & lock the keys inside
B Turn the rig off but leave the mains on
C Turn the rig off AND turn the mains off

I've been doing "C" because we had a crew wind up with a dead battery when they came off lunch one time, so I've been kinda paranoid.

How about y'all?


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## MMiz (Feb 9, 2007)

When we arrive on scene we leave the rig there, idle, and doors unlocked.  In fact I don't know of a department or service that does otherwise.

Some of our units have idle/kill switches, but I'm not sure how often they're used.


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## firecoins (Feb 10, 2007)

Had a rig at my old agency that locked and opened the doors with a secret button.


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## Ridryder911 (Feb 10, 2007)

Most policies are to lock the unit, unless someone is in it. With the threat of terrorism and yes, hints of stealing EMS units, many have either keyless systems or detached keys. 

How do you keep your hazard lights on at the scene ? I * never* turn a unit off! If I need heat, A/C. suction, better lights for treatment etc.. Why have to get in restart it ? If you have a bad battery, it needs to be replaced.. period! A functioning unit is just as liable as a person performing a procedure, both have to be in fine working order. If not, something tragic is going to occur. 

R/r 911


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## fm_emt (Feb 10, 2007)

Ridryder911 said:


> How do you keep your hazard lights on at the scene ? I * never* turn a unit off!



All we've been doing are transports and the occasional code 2 house call recently. We're not the contracted county service, but we get overflow calls from them.
If I was in a situation where I might be blocking any traffic (or parked somewhere where the rig needed to be visible) then I probably would have just left the thing running.


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## Stevo (Feb 10, 2007)

> With the threat of terrorism and yes, hints of stealing EMS units, many have either keyless systems or detached keys.



the notion that Al Q wants to steal our ambulances _here_ rates right on up there with _Mars wants out women_ *Ryder*



~S~


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## Ridryder911 (Feb 10, 2007)

I as well doubt that terrorist will go to po-dunk area to steal an ambulance but, it has been shown that some of their interest and schemes was to steal EMS units, as they have done before in their own land. 

It as well has been well documented other people than terrorist (psych, thieves) have made off with EMS units from scenes, hospitals, etc.. and the EMS crew/service is responsible for its actions. 

It appears to be on the rise, enough for new EMS units are now required to have automatic locking devices for the patient compartment, when the front is locked. 


Some recent news articles on stolen ambulances.. 

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=46&id=51275
http://lafd.blogspot.com/2006/06/stolen-lafd-ambulance-in-pursuit.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2006-04-14-hot-ambulance_x.htm
http://www.jems.com/news/111220/
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=bizarre&id=3487960

I admit it is hard to get to be in a habit of locking the doors, but it would much harder explaining a stolen ambulance..

R/r 911


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## mrdell4150 (Feb 11, 2007)

The rig stays on at the scene. We usually leave the lights on at a call that is not in a small residential area. If we do leave the lights on, we have a high idle switch that is flipped on and allows you to idle and have all the lights going. For the most part, the doors are left unlocked.


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## Epi-do (Feb 11, 2007)

We leave it running and on while on scene.  At most of the hospitals we turn it off.  There are a couple ERs where our truck doesn't fit in the bay so if we go there and it is really cold outside, the truck stays on.

If we are somewhere that we need to lock the truck, we have a keypad next to the side door on the box that we can punch a code into to unlock it without the keys.


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## klogerg (Feb 11, 2007)

As a basic, I do mostly transport.  Crews do it differently, but company ploicy is to shut the truck off and lock the doors.  Now, there is a service in our area that has 3 sets of keys per truck/crew.  One set stays in the ignition with the truck always running, the other keys are with the crew.  I think thats the best way to have it set up.  I agree with Ryder, having the truck up and running is always a good idea.


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## OnceAnEagle (Feb 12, 2007)

Our bus has an anti-theft setting (aka "kill switch") that we use. The rig stays on and running for temperature normalization and lighting, but the main lights stay off as to not attract too much undue attention (safety measures taken with ambers) and not blind incoming drivers (driving lights/headlights). If the emergency lights need to be on, you place it in high idle. Also, when cold out, a temperature senor will place the rig in "medium" idle to keep it from cooling off to much.

The keys are pulled and brought with the driver, who sets the anti-theft. If anyone touches the brake w/o the keys in and turned, the engine cuts and the rig loses power. 

It's seen as a terrific step, when a trainee can get back into the rig without cutting power by knocking the brake petal. B) 

When at the hospital and all the gear you may need is closer in the ER than the rig, it gets locked. 

(First post!)


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## KEVD18 (Feb 12, 2007)

on emergency calls: truck is left on. if im blocking traffic, the secondayr boxlights are on, lb off. not blocking, no lights, but the motor running. especially in the winter seing as i want to keep the truck warm.

on transports or when arriving at the ed: truck is shut off. most of the ed's around here require that the truck be off to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the H.

i never lock the truck. some of the keys here dont open the door locks. sometimes they freeze. sometimes i forget to take the keys out. so if i lock the doors, im screwed. we had a -p unit respond to a call, go in pack the pt and come out to a locked truck. tough explaing that.


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## FF/EMT Sam (Feb 12, 2007)

KEVD18 said:


> i never lock the truck. some of the keys here dont open the door locks. sometimes they freeze. sometimes i forget to take the keys out. so if i lock the doors, im screwed. we had a -p unit respond to a call, go in pack the pt and come out to a locked truck. tough explaing that.



Amen.  Our truck is never locked for just that reason.


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## DT4EMS (Feb 12, 2007)

Our trucks are left running. Cab is locked. When the oncoming crew arrives, they obtain keys for thier assigned unit. A key is always in the ignition.

Trucks are left running on scene (how bad would it be to go back out and your truck doesn't start) Shut them off at the ER's to keep fumes from flooding the buildings.


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## mfrjason (Feb 12, 2007)

We let the ambulance sit idle while we treating the patient but when we got to the hospital we shut it down till we were ready to head back to our area. If we were to shut it down at a scene we would have to turn off the battery.


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## Ridryder911 (Feb 12, 2007)

Here's an idea.. keep an extra set(s) for the doors on an assigned key ring, so one can lock the doors and still unlock the door. We have 3 set of keys.. one for the ignition, two that is given/exchanged at shift change. One has the narcotic key.. so the medic or whomever (if there is 2 medics) always has the keys on them. We bought D-ringers with our logo on them for EMS week, for everyone to be able carry the keys. 

It is an automatic write up if we are found without the doors closed and not locked. 

We had a fire unit stolen and wrecked last year. So now, all EV are locked up.. the same reason, you never see a LEO unit unlocked with weapons in it. 

R/r 911


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## mfrjason (Feb 12, 2007)

I agree with that idea,they should do that but they dont,they keep the keys in the ambulance and fire apparatus,nothing has been stolen yet (crossing of the fingers).


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## Jon (Feb 14, 2007)

Ridryder911 said:


> Here's an idea.. keep an extra set(s) for the doors on an assigned key ring, so one can lock the doors and still unlock the door. We have 3 set of keys.. one for the ignition, two that is given/exchanged at shift change. One has the narcotic key.. so the medic or whomever (if there is 2 medics) always has the keys on them. We bought D-ringers with our logo on them for EMS week, for everyone to be able carry the keys.
> 
> It is an automatic write up if we are found without the doors closed and not locked.
> 
> ...


AMEN.

at the part-time job, the keys used to be set up as one keychain, with a second key on it on a detachable second keychain... that way we can leave the truck running and lock it, and/or each provider can have keys to the vehicle. Now, it is rare to have a vehicle with multiple keys, because we've lost them.

All our ALS trucks and a couple of the BLS trucks have ignition override switches. I use them. OFTEN.

At the vollie squad... the trucks are almost never locked... and we only have the set of keys that is in the ignition with us.


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## ResTech (Feb 14, 2007)

I dont think the keys should be removed on a call, out for lunch, etc. during a shift. My fear is taking the keys out and dropping or misplacing them then a call comes in and your screwed cause you cant find the keys. My philosophy is if someone wants to take the ambulance.... have at it. It won't be hard to spot, they won't get far til PD is on their ***, and if they wreck it we have insurance.


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## KEVD18 (Feb 15, 2007)

the multiple sets of keys for each rig is a great theory, but at least in my service, its stops there. company mandate is two sets of keys for the rig, one with each provider. when exiting the vehicle(no provision is made for on scene, at H, in quarters etc) it is to be locked. each provider has keys. now here where it goes sideways. at least one of those sets of keys is going home with whoevers belt they are on. it happens. so the next day, the rig is short one set of keys. they may or may not ever make it back. so there is generally only one set of keys to be found for any truck, plus the master set in the office. and the really master set down at fleet. 

apparaently other services are more strict about this type of policy. the worst that will happen here is if a supv finds the truck unlocked, he/she will wait by the truck till you come back out and yell at your for a while. sometimes, under certain circumstances, he might lock the truck and take the keys with him and slide around the other side of the H. so you have to call ops and tell them the truck is unlocked. then he will appear and give you the keys, and a new orafice to go with them...


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## Jon (Feb 18, 2007)

I've had joking members of the vollie service move ambulances on me when we were in grocery shopping, or running other errands... The idea has always been to move it "a little" - like putting it in a far away parking space... and then they stay around to make sure we find it. Harmless fun.

As for at work... My favorite stunt is to go into a rig that another crew leaves open and crank the heat ALL the way up (in the summer) and turn the stero on, loudly, to obnoixous music (either rap or country, depending on the crew). Oh, and if you REALLY want to be mean, you turn on the siren and lights, so when they hit the battery switch, EVERYTHING comes on.


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## Airwaygoddess (Feb 19, 2007)

Jon there are some days you are such a stinker!!


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## mfrjason (Feb 19, 2007)

LMAO, Jon you are so bad but that sounds like a good way to play jokes on other members or other services,that is something I would do to play a joke on someone,and the bit about moving the ambulance someplace else is a good one,good place to park it would be behind the building of where you are at.


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