How to drive lights and sirens...

On my city department, I feel that exceeding the speed limit is damn near impossible with all the traffic lights everywhere. We clear every intersection so by the time we get up to 45 it's time to slow down again!

Out in a rural area, where we cover 190 square miles, it's different, but even at night we don't exceed 65 on the rural routes where there are lots of deer. ON the interstate we may get up to about 80 in good conditions.

On Returning the patient emergently: Will the time saved make a difference? Remembering that responding hot and transporting hot are not the same, it's slower to transport hot b/c of your partners in the back. There are runs where it's obvious, and some runs where it is not. For example: we had a 60 yom with stroke symptoms, failed the Cincinnati. He woke up at 5:30 this morning, and was ok until he went down in the shower at 6 per his wife. He got worse and you arrive at 8:30. Stroke center is 20 minutes away. We lit up; why? Well, the tPA was only going to be good for another 30 minutes, and we wanted to make damn sure that we had enough time to get him and in that they could have enough time to get him situated and get the tPA started. Would 10 minutes be enough? Probably, but if I can shave another 5 off, especially in that morning rush hour traffic, we're going to do it in that case.
 
Linuss said:
Not required in Texas. Infact, I can't think of a single state where it IS legally required.


The very nature of emergency vehicles laws is to exempt them from all traffic laws.
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I guess I was mistaken, I thought that law was much more prevalent, though it does seem to be a common agency policy. It is in fact the law in Massachusetts, for what it's worth.

"and may drive such vehicle through an intersection of ways contrary to any traffic signs or signals regulating traffic at such intersection if he first brings such vehicle to a full stop and then proceeds with caution and due regard for the safety of persons and property, unless otherwise directed by a police officer regulating traffic at such intersection." From chapter 89, section 7b MGL.

As you might imagine, such a law is not quite followed to the letter, but it was written for a reason I imagine. If nothing else, hopefully those that are driving think twice before blowing an intersection. I don't think a complete stop is necessary every time either, but it is probably the best policy in a congested urban environment.

Laws are not created in vacuum are they? At some point professional judgement fell by the wayside and the legislature felt the need (right or wrong) to step in.
 
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Tigger said:
As you might imagine, such a law is not quite followed to the letter, but it was written for a reason I imagine. If nothing else, hopefully those that are driving think twice before blowing an intersection. I don't think a complete stop is necessary every time either, but it is probably the best policy in a congested urban environment.
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The problem with a law worded such as this is it's a trial lawyer's dream. Much better to simply have "due regard" worded in.
 
We respond lights and sirens to all Charlie, Delta, and Echo MPDS response determinants. We can exceed the posted speed limit by 25% and drive through red lights or stop signs. We do several interfacility transports which involve 2 or more hours on open highway. If our patient can benefit from the 20 minutes we can save by using lights and exceeding the speed limit, (typically cath lab or Pre CT scan CVA) we will do so but shut them down once we reach city limits.

As always, the driver is ultimately responsible for the operation of the vehicle. If he goes through a red light with siren and emergency lighting activated and gets hit by an oncoming car...the driver of the ambulance is at fault.
 
We do many lights and siren calls to peoples houses, but rarely any to hospital as most are not transport critical.

Driving L&S siren is not too much different to driving normally. You arent trying to break any speed records and obviously slow down and make sure red lights and intersections are clear. Why drive like a maniac, risking your life for a most likely BS call?

Going L&S to hospital is like driving normally except going through intersections and stop signs. If you try to drive hard with a paramedic trying to work on a sick patient in the back, they will let you know real quick
 
Here in PA Ambulances cannot exceed the speed limit and must stop at all red lights and stop signs to clear the intersections.
 
Im sorry but if your not stopping or at least slowing to almost a complete stop before proceeding it's careless driving. How much time are you saving by not clearing the intersection?

It's no secret that the majority of accidents involving emergency vehicles happen at intersections. And how many of these operators presumed or "thought" the intersection was clear????? If they would have stopped they would have gained the extra two seconds that would have allowed them to catch a glimpse of the vehicle entering the intersection with the right-of-way thus preventing the MVC (I intentionally do not call it an accident because it is not an accident).

Law or no law, a jury can decide whatever they choose. If your found negligent because you didn't ensure the intersection was clear... sorry about your luck.
 
18G said:
This is a new emergency vehicle response law in Virginia just passed called "Ashley's Law"

http://www.vachiefs.org/index.php/news/item/governor_mcdonnell_signs_ashleys_law
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"Emergency vehicles proceeding past red lights. Provides that emergency vehicles proceeding past any steady or flashing red signals, traffic lights, stop signs, or other devices indicating moving traffic shall stop, must flash emergency lights and either (i) sound a siren, exhaust whistle, or air horn designed to give automatically intermittent signals or (ii) yield right-of-way or, if required for safety, bring the vehicle to a complete stop before proceeding with due regard to the safety of persons and property."

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=111&typ=bil&val=SB762

So, um, in order for an emergency vehicle to be given the right of way at an intersection, it must have its emergency visual and auditory warning systems engaged OR it must give the right of way. Additionally, emergency vehicles must come to a complete stop at intersections when required for safety?

Sorry, but I hardly find that to be landmark legislation. A simple "drive with due regard" would have already covered everything that law mandates.
 
usalsfyre said:
I hate running code. I hate running code to the call, I hate running code to the hospital...I just generally dislike it all around. I haven't seen that it makes any difference in my area.
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Amen to that! There is nothing I hate more than the sound of sirens. Actually, the sounds of the MRx monitor beeping incessantly because a fly landed on the unit, or a breeze blew past, or because it is Tuesday or whatever the f**k seems to activate the alarms on the piece of crap, that annoys me more.

But sirens I hate too.
 
WuLabsWuTecH said:
Stroke center is 20 minutes away. We lit up; why? Well, the tPA was only going to be good for another 30 minutes, and we wanted to make damn sure that we had enough time to get him and in that they could have enough time to get him situated and get the tPA started.
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That's based on the pretty big assumption that tPA is going to be good at all! :lol:
 
I won't lie, I like the sound of the siren, if for nothing more than the romantic notion of "The cavalry is coming!"


However, I hate running code to stupid calls... especially to the same damn how for a "fever" when the person has had said fever for 5 months (no fever exist according to my thermometer) and it's come to the point that a big regional hospital has said "We don't want you coming here anymore" to the patient and their family.
 
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Smash said:
the sounds of the MRx monitor beeping incessantly because a fly landed on the unit, or a breeze blew past, or because it is Tuesday or whatever the f**k seems to activate the alarms on the piece of crap
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Sounds like you need to go to a country branch mate and sit all day sipping a cuppa :D
 
MrBrown said:
Sounds like you need to go to a country branch mate and sit all day sipping a cuppa :D
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No, I just need a Corpuls monitor! I can't stand being quiet, but I can't stand the steaming pile of poo that some muppet decided we should have as monitors.
 
you don't like the Philips? Aside from the alarms what don't you like about it? We use it and despite the alarms I like it. My biggest pet peeve is the stupid CPR 'puck' that our protocols require us to use.
 
NVRob said:
you don't like the Philips? Aside from the alarms what don't you like about it? We use it and despite the alarms I like it. My biggest pet peeve is the stupid CPR 'puck' that our protocols require us to use.
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It's heavy, it alarms because the sun is shining, it's not user friendly, the filtering is rubbish, 12 leads are impossible to read (admittedly that's because our service is too cheap to buy a proper printer so they print out on standard strips).

It has reached new heights of mediocrity.

Now this is a monitor:


corpuls3_all_modules_EN_72.jpg



Sexy beast!
 
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