What do you do...

VinBin

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In all my times on abulances (Ive never driven one, thought I'll be driving one in a few weeks.), the closest that we've gottent to "being irritated" by people not getting out of the way of sirens/lights is a guy that barely hit us, and that wasnt too big of a deal....

anyways....What happens when you get to an intersection, and all the traffic lanes are backed up, and you have a red light, would you turn off your lights/sirens till the light turned green? I mean if not, people might try to move into the intersection on red, and that could be really dangerous.
 

Chimpie

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Originally posted by VinBin@Oct 7 2005, 05:36 PM
anyways....What happens when you get to an intersection, and all the traffic lanes are backed up, and you have a red light, would you turn off your lights/sirens till the light turned green? I mean if not, people might try to move into the intersection on red, and that could be really dangerous.
It's called taking the oncoming lane son. Learn to master it. LOL

Seriously though, whether it's in the fire truck or or the bus, you'll have to learn how to jump/cross medians and start driving in the oncoming lanes. I couldn't even begin to count the number of times I've driven through the grass or drove over a three inch concrete median. You're only doing it for short distances, you have your lights flashing and sirens whalling, so it shouldn't affect too many for too long.

Just make sure you have your "Oh Crap Handles" installed, front and back.
 

Jon

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I had this happen last week in town.

2 lane, 1 way street with parked cars both shoulders (small town center). We have "opticoms" but the medic responder had tripped it on the intersecting street, so we had a red light.

My partner drives up, blaring siren and REAL airhorn, even though we are boxed in and the traffic ahead is stuck at a red light. Eventually the light changed, but I felt the situation should have been handled differently. (My partner is a great guy, though.... so I'm not making an issue of this).

My work has a VERY clear policy, in their 3-page policy on running emergency, that if you are "boxed in" as above, you shut down all lights and sirens and wait for the light to change. Very hard to do, but blaring the siren isn't going to do anything but stress EVERYONE, and possibly cause a driver in front to do something stupid.

However.... if you aren't "boxed in".... take an oncoming lane.... espicially if you have an Opticom system, and know that YOU have the traffic light.... Just be VERY careful..... there is no end to idiocy...


Jon
 

TTLWHKR

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That's what I'd do..

Go into the oncomming lane, that is. But always stop.. and look!

I've been in an Econoline that was T-Boned at a six way intersection. My driver "who knew the whole city", didn't realize that only four of the six lanes were controlled by a light. A drunk going about 15, hit us while we were going 65 to a FDGB call. My driver wouldn't slow down, pushed the opticom, and proceeded through. I had just enough time to say, 'oh', and then $hit while we were reflecting off. We slid sideways stopped just short of a galvanized steel pole that would have crushed the area where we kept four spare "E" cylinders. I must admit, my legs were so shakey, I couldn't even get out to check on the other vehicle. Or maybe the little guy on my shoulder didn't want me to act quickly, and strangle my partner. :p

If it isn't a dispatched 'life threatening' emergency.. Just wait.
 

Beegers

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Omg I had a lights and sirens call to a nursing home today and on my way down the highway in the left lane this stupid lady stops dead in the lane. I almost rearended her. Hit the airhorn and all and she does not move. I completely forgot to use the loudspeaker but I was pissed.
 

TTLWHKR

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Originally posted by Jb78emt@Oct 7 2005, 11:28 PM
Omg I had a lights and sirens call to a nursing home today and on my way down the highway in the left lane this stupid lady stops dead in the lane. I almost rearended her. Hit the airhorn and all and she does not move. I completely forgot to use the loudspeaker but I was pissed.
Never follow close enough to someone that if they do something stupid, you'll collide.

Always Remember * Sirens and Flashing Lights, make people stupid.
 

Beegers

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Originally posted by TTLWHKR+Oct 7 2005, 11:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (TTLWHKR @ Oct 7 2005, 11:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Jb78emt@Oct 7 2005, 11:28 PM
Omg I had a lights and sirens call to a nursing home today and on my way down the highway in the left lane this stupid lady stops dead in the lane. I almost rearended her. Hit the airhorn and all and she does not move. I completely forgot to use the loudspeaker but I was pissed.
Never follow close enough to someone that if they do something stupid, you'll collide.

Always Remember * Sirens and Flashing Lights, make people stupid. [/b][/quote]
I wasn't following close behind....I always keep a distance because I'm petrified of losing my brakes because I was in a rig that lost brakes, as well as my own car.

I was in the left lane of the highway and the lady stops dead in the lane. I couldn't go to the right because highway traffic was coming way too fast. There was just enough room left of the shoulder to go around as the shoulder was ending at that point for the merge to another highway.
 

MMiz

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I hate to say it, but the responses on the board gives a clear view of who has worked the streets for years and who is new (like myself).

The new EMTs ride up in traffic RLS, get on the air horn, and don't let off until someone pulls ahead and subsequently collides with another vehicle.

Training tells us to pull up to the light and shut down until it turns green.

I think sometimes we need to realize that 99% of the time us getting there 1 minute earlier isn't going to affect patient care or outcome.

People freeze when they see RLS (Red lights and sirens) and it's even worse when you're boxed in at a red light. Maybe you can go up on a median, maybe you can go into oncoming traffic, but is it worth it? Maybe for a ped drowning, but for an elderly man down?
 

coloradoemt

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I drive emergent like this... everyone in front of me is going to do something stupid and the only smart people other than the two in my rig :D are those drivers I have already passed. Also remember this as long as you are driving a rig. Running RLS, emergent, code, etc. is ASKING for the right away, not demanding it or trying to force it. Before I will go into oncoming lanes I try and make the decision if it is worth it or not. I have found it usefull that if you can do it safely to try and get traffic stopped and follow the right turn lane through to the intersection, clear traffic and proceed on through. This only works if you are not to far back. Other than that drive way out in front of you, always assume that everyone in front of you will panic and do something stupid, and always leave yourself an OUT so you can avoid all of the stupid people... B)
 
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VinBin

VinBin

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Heh...I'm a bit more nervous/paranoid of what others might do now....

Thanks for the tips, I think the "smart" thing to do unless its a real emergency is to just shut off lights/sirens...but then people will do something even crazier when they hear it turn back on...

In St. Louis, I saw something over the weekend, in downtown, where there are one ways and streets with trees blocking the intersection to the opp. way, an ambulance caused(well, not really, since they didnt "push the cars", just blared the airhorn) 2 cars to go opposite a one way, the cars then, after the ambulance passed, had to reverse, turn and get back on right road, while nothing happened, something really bad could have resulted...

Do most dept. have a "rule book" on situations like this?
 

ECC

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When responding Emergent (Code 3) NEVER EVER turn your lights and sirens off (turn siren off when entering highway is the only exception...keep lights on!) Turning on and off your signals only confuses those who are already perplexed. No need to really mess up their day!
 

coloradoemt

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Originally posted by CaptainPanic@Oct 10 2005, 12:01 PM
when siren is off is it appropriate to sing "Move B!tch"?? :D :lol:
Absolutely!!! :lol:
 
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VinBin

VinBin

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Originally posted by ECC@Oct 10 2005, 12:44 PM
When responding Emergent (Code 3) NEVER EVER turn your lights and sirens off (turn siren off when entering highway is the only exception...keep lights on!) Turning on and off your signals only confuses those who are already perplexed. No need to really mess up their day!
WHA!? :blink: Do rules vary this much between departments? A few people who already posted stated that turning off lights/sirens was a wise thing to do in certain situations...

Im assuming there are no hard set "rules" other than use best judgement?
 

ECC

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Um...no.

Read IFSTA's Pumping Apparatus Driver/Operator Handbook...and FDNY's EVOC handbook. Both books require you to leave the lights on when responding emergent (code 3). If you switch them off, you send the public a message that the alarm/run you are responding to is not really an emergency, and there is no reason to yield to you.
 
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VinBin

VinBin

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Originally posted by MedicStudentJon@Oct 7 2005, 08:05 PM

My work has a VERY clear policy, in their 3-page policy on running emergency, that if you are "boxed in" as above, you shut down all lights and sirens and wait for the light to change. Very hard to do, but blaring the siren isn't going to do anything but stress EVERYONE, and possibly cause a driver in front to do something stupid.
?:huh:?
 

Chimpie

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What rookies and probies have to learn is that rules are not the same for every department in every city in every state. Every department is different. And they have to remember why rules were created.

Rules were created because something happened at some point and time and something bad resulted from it. Cars going to fast through a residental neighborhood caused people to be scared or may have caused deaths... lower speed limits were a result. See what I mean.

So one department may say turn everything off, some say just the siren... they all have a reason for saying what they do. BE FLEXABLE. Talk with your training officer and find out what they want you to do.
 

TTLWHKR

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My father worked the same streets I did, and for about forty years too. When I decided to work City of Pitt EMS, he gave me a book that they used to get before EVOC. "Defensive Driving for Ambulance Attendants". That could easily take place of any EVO course. It's about 200 pages, defines exactly what it's like to drive in the biggest cities and the smallest towns. For anyone who's interested, the Library of Congress has them, and maybe an online auction site too.
 

Jon

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Originally posted by Jb78emt+Oct 9 2005, 06:56 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Jb78emt @ Oct 9 2005, 06:56 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by TTLWHKR@Oct 7 2005, 11:44 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-Jb78emt
@Oct 7 2005, 11:28 PM
Omg I had a lights and sirens call to a nursing home today and on my way down the highway in the left lane this stupid lady stops dead in the lane. I almost rearended her. Hit the airhorn and all and she does not move. I completely forgot to use the loudspeaker but I was pissed.

Never follow close enough to someone that if they do something stupid, you'll collide.

Always Remember * Sirens and Flashing Lights, make people stupid.
I wasn't following close behind....I always keep a distance because I'm petrified of losing my brakes because I was in a rig that lost brakes, as well as my own car.

I was in the left lane of the highway and the lady stops dead in the lane. I couldn't go to the right because highway traffic was coming way too fast. There was just enough room left of the shoulder to go around as the shoulder was ending at that point for the merge to another highway. [/b][/quote]
this happens too many times.... folks will drive for half a mile with the lights in their mirror, then panic and slam on their brakes.

As for losing brakes..... best thing to do then is downshift.... yes, replacing a trannie or engine isn't cheap, but it beats replacing the ambulance and the hospital bills.

Jon
 
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