Driving - "courtesy" lighting

[DrParasite]

Do you use your blinkers when you respond code? With all the lights going people don't always see them but it definitely helps.

I use my blinkers more when I use L&S than when I don't. strangest thing, my partner used to constantly point it out.


In a town in NJ, a Fire Dept Rescue ran an ambulance off the road going to an MVA w/ entrapment. Both were going to the same job, and the ambulance apparently wasn't yielding. Definitely an harassment and not typical of the system. And oddly enough, the FD doesn't think they did anything wrong.

 

[Tigger]

I use my blinkers more when I use L&S than when I don't. strangest thing, my partner used to constantly point it out.

One of the things I hate most about Type IIs is the lack of elevate turn signals that are common on the top corners of modular units. Many times no one can see our blinker because of the car directly in front of us.

 

[bw2529]

I use my blinkers more when I use L&S than when I don't. strangest thing, my partner used to constantly point it out.


In a town in NJ, a Fire Dept Rescue ran an ambulance off the road going to an MVA w/ entrapment. Both were going to the same job, and the ambulance apparently wasn't yielding. Definitely an harassment and not typical of the system. And oddly enough, the FD doesn't think they did anything wrong.

In our system, I probably would have pulled over for the rescue. It is fire's job to deliver the pt. to EMS. EMS does not do extrication. If the pt. is still trapped, I'm going to be waiting for fire anyway.

Not saying fire was right, just providing some perspective.

 

[AnthonyM83]

Does it really help the other vehicle or does it draw attention away from them. If traffic has already seen the other ambulance, they're either already pulling over or not. By seeing your ambulance light up, they will now be reacting to your ambulance (that reaction includes trying to race around you without minding the other ambulance).

If two units are going lights/sirens to same location, I do prefer the lead slows down enough so that both units pass through close together. Both are easier seen. Less chance someone will make that quick last minute turn, not realizing there was a second unit.

If it's a system were a BLS ambulance and a paramedic squad both follow each other to the hospital, I prefer the squad go first to clear a path. They have more maneuverability and can accelerate/decelerate better since they're lighter and don't have personnel/patient in the back.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Yeah I think this is a bad idea. It will make everybody, including the other Cade 3 unit, more confused than usual, and we all know how confused people get when they see flashy lights on a big red vehicle.

 

[DesertMedic66]

If two units are going lights/sirens to same location, I do prefer the lead slows down enough so that both units pass through close together. Both are easier seen. Less chance someone will make that quick last minute turn, not realizing there was a second unit.

If the units are going code 3 close together won't that make it so people only see the first unit and possibly hear only the one siren? They think it's only just one unit and will pull out behind the first unit right into the path of the second. Plus the fact that when units are following each other closely it does not allow for the second unit to see what is infront of it, such as a light that is yellow turning red or an obstacle that the first unit has to avoid somehow?

IMO and company policy is that emergency vehicles are to be I believe it's 300 feet apart at minimum and should also be using different siren tones to help the public realize there are 2 emergency vehicles.

 

[AnthonyM83]

If the units are going code 3 close together won't that make it so people only see the first unit and possibly hear only the one siren? They think it's only just one unit and will pull out behind the first unit right into the path of the second. Plus the fact that when units are following each other closely it does not allow for the second unit to see what is infront of it, such as a light that is yellow turning red or an obstacle that the first unit has to avoid somehow?

IMO and company policy is that emergency vehicles are to be I believe it's 300 feet apart at minimum and should also be using different siren tones to help the public realize there are 2 emergency vehicles.

Ah, you're presenting a third option...that the units space themselves half a block apart or so, so that they're sirens don't cross over. This might technically be the best option, but it'd be hell in a busy urban environment. In this area, you usually have an engine, a paramedic squad, and an ambulance responding to a call. Following the no siren overlap rule, you'd be creating traffic chaos...and we often have several calls in the same area go out couple of minutes apart (very often).

What I'm suggesting is that units are going to be trailing each other anyway, when they get to an intersection, it's useful if the second unit enters the intersection before the first unit has cleared the intersection. This prevents the second unit getting caught up in the little chaos and zooming of cars trying to make their way through before the intersection goes back to normal.

I'd rather keep both ambulances in the same visual field for the drivers, so that they don't assume that the siren they're hearing is from the ambulance that has just passed them...when in reality it's from the second ambulance about to enter the intersection. After the intersection, the vehicles can spread out a little more.

And yes, you do want the emergency vehicles to be slightly off-set from each other, so that the second vehicle can still see what's up ahead.

 

[BigBird]

Rural Texas

We are a volunteer EMS unit. We have one ambulance covering an area of 1,431 square miles. In the southwestern most part of our county its an hour or more in any direction to any medical facility.
Down here if a vehicle fails to yield ROW to us with L&S on, we call it in and Law Enforcement will track em down and arrest em.
Usually when there's no traffic around we turn off the siren. Around here you never know when some drunk cowboy will hear it and think its an indian mating call. Nothing scarier on a dark county road than to see a naked cowboy jump out in front of your ambulance! :rofl:

 

[Tigger]

We are a volunteer EMS unit. We have one ambulance covering an area of 1,431 square miles. In the southwestern most part of our county its an hour or more in any direction to any medical facility.
Down here if a vehicle fails to yield ROW to us with L&S on, we call it in and Law Enforcement will track em down and arrest em.
Usually when there's no traffic around we turn off the siren. Around here you never know when some drunk cowboy will hear it and think its an indian mating call. Nothing scarier on a dark county road than to see a naked cowboy jump out in front of your ambulance! :rofl:

In Texas is failure to yield to an emergency vehicle really an arrestable offense?

 

[Bullets]

In Texas is failure to yield to an emergency vehicle really an arrestable offense?

Not just in Texas, thats a big offense in NJ too

NJ also recently passed the move over law, which requires passing motorists to move to the furthest distant lane away from stopped PD, Fire, EMS, or road crews stopped on shoulders. if its only one lane they must slow down. And NJ State Police have been hammering people for it.

also, pd block intersections on critical calls all the time, and more so when we are going to a distant trauma center

 

[Tigger]

Not just in Texas, thats a big offense in NJ too

NJ also recently passed the move over law, which requires passing motorists to move to the furthest distant lane away from stopped PD, Fire, EMS, or road crews stopped on shoulders. if its only one lane they must slow down. And NJ State Police have been hammering people for it.

also, pd block intersections on critical calls all the time, and more so when we are going to a distant trauma center

Big ticket yes, but arrestable?

 

[Martyn]

I think that varies by state. Here, Fire Police can also use lights to direct traffic. My understanding is that the concept of Fire Police, at least as they exist in NY, is relatively unknown in southern states.

Fire police? Oh my god it gets worse!!!!
I'm gonna have to make an addition to below

 

[Flight-LP]

In Texas is failure to yield to an emergency vehicle really an arrestable offense?

Not unless there is bodily injury.

 

[Handsome Robb]

In our system, I probably would have pulled over for the rescue. It is fire's job to deliver the pt. to EMS. EMS does not do extrication. If the pt. is still trapped, I'm going to be waiting for fire anyway.

Not saying fire was right, just providing some perspective.

I get what your saying but really?

Our policy is we don't block accident scenes, fire does. So theoretically if you yield to the rescue you then have to pass them again to get past the accident to park your unit. Whereas if I'm in front of the rescue I slide by the accident and park and they pull in behind me and block the scene with their apparatus.

They don't need to pass me, generally my unit is going to be quicker anyways unless fire is responding with a light rescue, which I doubt is the case in an extrication accident. I'm not advocating "racing" to scenes but there's no sense in letting a giant fire apparatus pass you on the way to the same call to just be stuck meandering along behind them.