Emergency Vehicle Operations - Getting to the Call Safely

[EMS92 30]

just wanted to get peoples opinion...i think one of the hardest things about being a first responder is getting to the calls....

http://newsok.com/article/3638343

[ex-commish 490]

just wanted to get peoples opinion...i think one of the hardest things about being a first responder is getting to the calls....

http://newsok.com/article/3638343

As a driver of an emergency vehicle you have an obligation to get your crew to the incident and back in a safe manner. You have an obligation to the public as well. Many lives are in your hands and you are not doing anyone any good if you now become the incident. When I taught EVOC I used to hammer into the class that you have to drive defensively.

[DR104 141]

How about MA stand bys in a department qtrs? Lights and sierns? Whats your Dept policy?

[JohnnyOV 2]

How about MA stand bys in a department qtrs? Lights and sierns? Whats your Dept policy?

What benefit is gained from an emergency ride to go and hang out at another station? If your reasoning is that, "well we MIGHT get called to the fire on an upgraded alarm, so we need to get their as quickly as possible," is exactly the same as saying "lets drive around town between calls with our lights and sirens going, because at some point, the tones are going to drop for something." I'm surprised that insurance companies even allow this to occur.

[firemoose827 324]

How about MA stand bys in a department qtrs? Lights and sierns? Whats your Dept policy?

Our policy is to drive cold to all stand-ins. If during the ride we get upgraded to the scene than its the officers discretion as to use of ligts/siren depending on travel distance and traffic. With our district being as rural as it is, we barely have to use lights and sirens at all.

I remember a call when I was in my past department, it was a stand-in, our neighbor was out to a structure fire on the opposite end of their district from us so we were providing station coverage. I was in the jump seat and the driver used the lights and sirens, he blew past atleast three to four cars, and when we got to the station he turned them off, as he was backing in I saw one of the cars he blew by and the driver was just staring at us looking confused. I told my officer and he just said "Screw them, we needed to cover our neighbors area." I was young then, and I wish I could confront that officer now. There is no need for lights/sirens when going to stand-in a neighbors station.

When we are called to stand-by in our station I never even use my blue light, I just drive like it was a drill night and I was going to station for drill, if they call us for help we are already enroute to the station and will get there as fast as we would using lights. Drive Defensively and safely, get there alive and save the taxpayers money from repairing or replacing the trucks from careless accidents.

Stay Safe.

[DaRock98 76]

How about MA stand bys in a department qtrs? Lights and sierns? Whats your Dept policy?

No lights/sirens. There is no need to go screaming through town just to sit in someone else's HQ.

[conman 40]

How about MA stand bys in a department qtrs? Lights and sierns? Whats your Dept policy?

M/A response is code 1. No need to risk you, your crew and the people on the road lives to do nothing.

[The Axe 8]

Police: Fire truck driver at fault in Thursday's fatal crash, Cumberland County, Pa.

http://cumberlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-fire-truck-driver-at-fault-in-thursday-s-fatal/article_53eb6602-21db-11e1-8f9e-001871e3ce6c.html