Do sirens 'NEED' to be on while driving code 3?

Depends on your state rules.
 
Can run lights without siren but not siren without lights.
 
IS there a legal definition and recognition of the phrase "Code 3" anywhere?
 
As an occasional fellow Iowa EMS provider I was unable to locate a specific law regarding this question. Regardless of any law it is company policy.
 
epipusher said:
As an occasional fellow Iowa EMS provider I was unable to locate a specific law regarding this question. Regardless of any law it is company policy.
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Iowa does not require sirens with lights as a law itself, locally it may be different in certain cities or counties. Company policy may be different .
MN and SD require sirens with any lights
 
mycrofft said:
IS there a legal definition and recognition of the phrase "Code 3" anywhere?
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We call it RLS (red lights and sirens).

I'll try and find our state statute about it.

Edit: they just refer to it as "visual and audible warning signals activated"
 
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Mariemt said:
Iowa does not require sirens with lights as a law itself, locally it may be different in certain cities or counties. Company policy may be different .
MN and SD require sirens with any lights
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And most places are doing away (or did away, years ago) with the Tens-Codes. (I so miss 10-8, 10-19 at the end of a run. Like good coffee after a good meal). All this shows how even with federal NIMS and etc coordination between agencies tends to stray.
 
mycrofft said:
And most places are doing away (or did away, years ago) with the Tens-Codes. (I so miss 10-8, 10-19 at the end of a run. Like good coffee after a good meal). All this shows how even with federal NIMS and etc coordination between agencies tends to stray.
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We still use some 10-codes. 10-4, 10-8, 10-32, 10-78.
 
Mariemt said:
I would hope no state allows sirens without lights
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We had a fire department request that we respond to a call with no light but the siren. Our response to the request was "no".
 
We had big cue cards for deaf drivers.



not
 
Talk about the ultimate confusion. Especially if there's another emergency vehicle at that intersection.

We get people that call 911 all the time if our lights aren't working properly.

"Medic 338, we're getting reports your lightbar isn't operating (or only your lightbar is operating)."
 
Robb said:
Talk about the ultimate confusion. Especially if there's another emergency vehicle at that intersection.

We get people that call 911 all the time if our lights aren't working properly.

"Medic 338, we're getting reports your lightbar isn't operating (or only your lightbar is operating)."
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We get the calls to our supervisors saying we turned the lights and siren on just to go thru an intersection and then turn them off to beat traffic. Our supervisors have to nicely explain what a cancel is.
 
mycrofft said:
IS there a legal definition and recognition of the phrase "Code 3" anywhere?
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I doubt it, that concept doesn't exist in Maryland. Here in MD, it's Priority 1.

(Don't get me started on that though, we group "no patient care required" and "dead on scene" both as Priority 4 for reporting, but if you say you have a Priority 4 patient on the radio, it better mean a dead body. Also, a lot of places seem to break Priority 2 responses down further to 2E (emergency) and 2Non (Emergency). At least Priority 3 is clear...)
 
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