Opticom Fun!

Medic506

Medic506

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My company has an Opticom in every rig. Opticoms control the streetlights and change an oncoming light to green if given enough time to safely change the others to red. They can be quite useful, but does anyone elses' company take them a little for granted?

I have a specific crew that late at night will "wave" to passing crews by flashing his Opticom (the light is on the top and flashes rapidly for a few seconds). He thinks it's hilarious, especially when the other crew gets stuck at the red light he just caused. Those things stay red FOREVER!!


For those who don't know what this is, here's a good explanation. Start at about 2:45

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EOEQrLqc0I
 
We have them at my service. They are great when used properly, huge increase in safety. We cannot run them in the cities we transport into at the request of their respective FDs although we've been known to forget for certain calls.

I certainly do not agree with using the OptiCom for "waving" to other crews. Kind of abusive to the system, granted it's innocent fun, and the state can easily tell the service they can't have them anymore if they decided to.
 
Aren't all OptiCom activations logged? I know that the city and police get a report saying which unit activated the light at what date and time. If it's an EMS unit, and we weren't responding to a call, then someone is in trouble.
 
My current service doesn't have opticoms, but my former service did. They only activated when the emergency lights were on, however.
 
I wish we had those but the city is too large to install them at every light.

I agree that using them for anything other than emergency purposes is an abuse of the system. Wave with your airhorn, or better yet, your hand.

Also, I find that it makes no sense to install those ina city and then tell the FDs they can't use them. so what only police can use them?
 
We have them on our rigs, and they're amazing! Ours come on everytime our Code 3 lights are on. It's not just a one switch.
 
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