Scene safety

daedalus

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Today I had a call that ended up being transported to a local community hospital, that has no designated ambulance bay. In fact, the hospital is located on a very busy street in east LA, Olympic Blvd, and I had no choice but to park it there and set the secondaries on. After bringing the pt inside, I left my partner to give report and started decon and changing linens outside. As I'm walking over to the door of the unit, a tow truck flys by going well over 45 MPH and misses me by mere inches. Part of my jacket contacted this truck. I got shaken up and realised if he had hit me at that speed, I would have died. Its strange to see how fast he was going and just know that there is so much inertia there, and to feel is pass you, knowing death or serious injury was tangible.

Don't let lighting on the unit give you a false sense of security that people will notice you and slow down. No one slows down for stopped emergency vehicles anymore, they continue barreling down the road with no regard to your safety. Check your scene and be aware. We all know it but it needs to be rehashed.
 
Thats funny you mention that. I had the same scenario only I was the driver. This guy came out between two cars parked on the curb and I nearly missed him and if I was to go any faster I would of hit him. He's telling me to slow down and I was like (lords name in vain lol) "dont you look both ways". People these days I swear, I was so scared and shooken up afterwards.
 
Look at how many state troopers get hit outside of their cars each year. people are just stupid and have no regard for other peoples safety.
 
I was pleasantly surprised when on a minor MVC on the Interstate 75/85 in downtown Atlanta the other week. We had one PD unit show up for the report on the MVC, and then 6 Motor Units (motorcycle) pulled up right infront of our unit. When I inquired as to what they were doing, the reply was that they were setting up a makeshift sting of Georgia's "Move Over" law.

The law states that one must move over at least one lane, or be prepared to stop in the presence of stopped emergency vehicles and there are overhead signs that state this throughout GA's interstates. In the 20 minutes we were onscene getting a refusal, 12 citations (at $219 each:P) were issued to drivers not moving over nor slowing at all. I know its only a little drop in the bucket of these people, but news travels fast, maybe eventually the word will get out.

Be safe all:ph34r:
 
MA state troopers just started angling their squad cars differently when they stop (highway, main st or side street), putting the *** of the car out into traffic, shielding themselves and the other car after a string of tragic accidents.
I have as well also been in precarious situations with the ambulance-- loading or unloading patients on busy streets with no protection, and it happens often (I transport the same dialysis patients often).
Unfortunately, beyond lights and careful parking, not much can be done. You need to work out a system with your partner so you can load and unload patients carefully and safely.
On MVAs on the highway, I insist on my partner climbing over to the curb side if we arrive before the PD.
Until we can park "*** out" with the ambulance, we just need to continue to be vigilant, careful and know when it is too unsafe to progress.

DS
 
I was pleasantly surprised when on a minor MVC on the Interstate 75/85 in downtown Atlanta the other week. We had one PD unit show up for the report on the MVC, and then 6 Motor Units (motorcycle) pulled up right infront of our unit. When I inquired as to what they were doing, the reply was that they were setting up a makeshift sting of Georgia's "Move Over" law.

The law states that one must move over at least one lane, or be prepared to stop in the presence of stopped emergency vehicles and there are overhead signs that state this throughout GA's interstates. In the 20 minutes we were onscene getting a refusal, 12 citations (at $219 each:P) were issued to drivers not moving over nor slowing at all. I know its only a little drop in the bucket of these people, but news travels fast, maybe eventually the word will get out.

Be safe all:ph34r:

Excellent!!! I love it. Should be the law everywhere. I too have been nearly clipped by passing vehicles at high speed. I now have no problem shutting down a lane or two. On two lane highways I have shut down the whole road by parking in the middle. The LEO's can figure out what to do with traffic after I leave.

After a recent event where a truck crossed the median and took out a firetruck while avoiding slowed rubberneckers,the DOT had a meeting with fire, police and ems. We were told we had the right to shut down any highway for safety. They asked to be informed and if the shutdown was going to be prolonged they would come out and put up proper signage and effect an appropriate detour.
 
One thing they respect is FIRE, but not tailboards. (say what?)

People can't see a full-size emergency vehicle with lights on and a couple red triangles set up, but, put up a three flare merge starting in the gutter (yesyesyes, when it's safe, which excludes the State of California right now) and you get respect. They're blind, but they're afraid to drive over a fifteen minute fusee. Fire BAD. Maybe we should wear welding gloves and brandish traffic flares to make the looky-lous go away.

During the "riding the tailboard" years, we would get tailgated about once a month, sometimes at about seventy mph, and once at a following distance of about ten feet doing that speed. I even had a Porsche try to catch me , but as I had a forty-five mph advantage he decided risking a Security Police pull-over wasn't worth it, and dropped off after a half mile.

Oly Blvd? Tough precinct!
 
Washington state had a similar law go into effect last year, but I don't remember what the fine for it is. It was passed at the same time they passed the increase in the fines for failing to yield to emergency vehicles (it's now around $1000), so the state patrol does take an interest in these people now.

On the scene of an accident the other day, we were doing traffic control on a two lane highway with one lane closed. We had our lights on, the traffic control people were wearing reflective vests, and were using Stop/Slow signs to control traffic. One vehicle came flying up to the accident at highway speeds without slowing down until they passed the flagger, at which time they slowed down and tried to proceed through the scene. The deputy on scene didn't like this, so he stopped their vehicle in the middle of the accident scene (shutting down traffic in both directions) and has a chat with the driver about things like reckless driving, failure to obey a firefighter, failure to obey law enforcement, etc....
 
I was pleasantly surprised when on a minor MVC on the Interstate 75/85 in downtown Atlanta the other week. We had one PD unit show up for the report on the MVC, and then 6 Motor Units (motorcycle) pulled up right infront of our unit. When I inquired as to what they were doing, the reply was that they were setting up a makeshift sting of Georgia's "Move Over" law.

The law states that one must move over at least one lane, or be prepared to stop in the presence of stopped emergency vehicles and there are overhead signs that state this throughout GA's interstates. In the 20 minutes we were onscene getting a refusal, 12 citations (at $219 each:P) were issued to drivers not moving over nor slowing at all. I know its only a little drop in the bucket of these people, but news travels fast, maybe eventually the word will get out.

Be safe all:ph34r:
i second that i love that idea. it wouldn't be so bad if those dolts weren't rubbernecking and trying to hit us all the dang time.
 
We were taught that a good idea is to park at a slight angle on the dashed line. The reasoning being that people think in terms of the lines as their bounds. If you park within 2 feet of the line, then people will still go at a pretty decent rate of speed in the adjacent lane giving you only 2 feet to work with. However, if you take up both lanes, then people will fly by in the the third lane over giving you at least 5-6 feet between your driver's door and the traffic. Ppl will tend to move over the whole lane rather than just a partial lane.
 
Forgive my half-arsed attempt at a MS Paint drawing, but I wanted to try and show how I park onscene when we arrive first (almost always). I try to never park with rear doors stuck in traffic, it leaves you too open to getting pinned against the truck. Also, when you park at an angle, and point the nose of the truck the way you want traffic to go, they generally with "follow" the slope of the truck in the way its parked.

Our F350's and 12' box will effectively block two - two and a half lanes of traffic, and i generall shott for shutting down two with it when possible. A PD unit can do one easy, two in a pinch. Engines generally can control 3, and AFD's tiller ladders I've personally seen block 6 lanes of traffic with one unit.

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And the GA move over law:
Move-Over-Law: Georgia Code, Title 40-6-16.

a. The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying flashing yellow, amber, white, red, or blue lights shall approach the authorized emergency vehicle with due caution and shall, absent any other direction by a peace officer, proceed as follows:
1. Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle if possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions; or
2. If a lane change under paragraph (1) of this subsection would be impossible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a reasonable and proper speed for the existing road and traffic conditions, which speed shall be less than the posted speed limit, and be prepared to stop.

b. The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a stationary towing or recovery vehicle or a stationary highway maintenance vehicle that is displaying flashing yellow, amber, or red lights shall approach the vehicle with due caution and shall, absent any other direction by a peace officer, proceed as follows:
1. Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the towing, recovery, or highway maintenance vehicle if possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions; or
2. If a lane change under paragraph (1) of this subsection would be impossible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a reasonable and proper speed for the existing road and traffic conditions, which speed shall be less than the posted speed limit, and be prepared to stop.

c . Violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00
 
Yes, FL implemented that law a few years back, after a few troopers were killed on the hwy. GA picked up on it and passed theirs. Now most states are doing the same. They just need the LEO to enforce it!
 
If an ambulance is coming down the right side of a road that has a divider, does the left side have to stop? Sounds like a stupid question but I see a lot of people pull over despite a 10ft space between the opposite lanes.
 
If an ambulance is coming down the right side of a road that has a divider, does the left side have to stop? Sounds like a stupid question but I see a lot of people pull over despite a 10ft space between the opposite lanes.

Depends on the wording of the law in your state. In truth, I don't mind everyone pulling over for me no matter what side of the divider they are on. My first priority is my crew's safety in any code response/transport.
 
If an ambulance is coming down the right side of a road that has a divider, does the left side have to stop? Sounds like a stupid question but I see a lot of people pull over despite a 10ft space between the opposite lanes.

In California, no. It's not the amount of space, it's the fact that the ambulance is HIGHLY unlikely to bump the curb to get into the opposite direction of traffic.
 
Washington state had a similar law go into effect last year, but I don't remember what the fine for it is. It was passed at the same time they passed the increase in the fines for failing to yield to emergency vehicles (it's now around $1000), so the state patrol does take an interest in these people now.

....

I would like to see this law if you can send it to me.
 
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