Ambulance Rollover caught on Video

[joetnymedic 43]

From statter911.com all I'm gonna say is I am just glad the crew as well as the occupants of the other car are OK

http://networkedblogs.com/vy51t

[JetPhoto 626]

If they stopped at the red light, it might not have happened

[ckroll 101]

Truly amazing. Watch it and pause early. There is a motorcycle stopped at the light. The flipping ambulance misses him by several feet. You can see him cringe on his bike as it slides past his leg.

It's got to be the fellow in the red/black/white jacket with the backpack who is helping then out of the ambulance as he still has his gloves on.

Edited March 24, 2012 by ckroll

[ckroll 101]

I will not pre-judge the driver as anyone who has been in EMS long enough has run a red light at some time in their lives. IF we run red lights it is only a matter of time until we get hit That said, if he had a 'do over' on this, I wager he'd have exercised more caution.

It brings up several good points. First, actions have consequences and we now live in a world where it is increasingly likely that those actions will be recorded.

Second, if one does the math, we 'outrun' our sirens at about 15 mph in an urban environment, taking into account sight lines, echoing, car soundproofing and reaction times. Approaching any intersection faster than that is pushing the envelope.

Third, any agency that is using electronic data collection to track and push its members about response times might want to think about what can happen when you make numbers a priority.

Fourth, the stretcher broke loose. I thought it would have held.

Fifth, there is a new DOH policy statement about being belted in at all times. Before we all jump up and down and point out how stupid that is, watch the video one more time.

[NJMedic 96]

I'll pre-judge the driver. He blew a red light. Not much doubt in that. From the video view it wasn't like he slowed down and missed the vehicle. The almost got thru the intersection too.

[Guest partyrock]

Driving long enough you make assumptions going through intersections. Against the light at that type of intersection, right to left one way street approaching along the right side of the interestion, you always slow down. Always. Even if running convoy you're ready to jump on the breaks. Those cars have no line of sight and your siren is bouncing off all the buildings. Sometimes drivers gwt distracted or just simply screw up. It sucks but I'm just glad everyone walked away.

[Boss159 7]

My take on the video, the traffic light turned green for traffic going the opposing direction from the ambulance a split second after the crash, my guess is the driver of the car was trying to beat the light, that being said, the crew should have exercised more caution entering the intersection. a good reminder on how intersections should be approached, with tons of caution....

[tommyguy 104]

My take on the video, the traffic light turned green for traffic going the opposing direction from the ambulance a split second after the crash...

I think that's a good observation, although I felt it was more than a split second. But if they compute the traffic light cycle I would bet the POV that hit the EMS truck had entered the intersection on a yellow light. Maybe even red depending on the timing.

Does that take the EMS crew off the hook? Probably not but I'm glad everyone was okay.

[ckroll 101]

I think that's a good observation, although I felt it was more than a split second. But if they compute the traffic light cycle I would bet the POV that hit the EMS truck had entered the intersection on a yellow light. Maybe even red depending on the timing.

Does that take the EMS crew off the hook? Probably not but I'm glad everyone was okay.

The ambulance enters the intersection at 2 seconds and 'gets a green' in its direction of travel at 6 seconds. There is a green flash before that, but I think it's on the prior block, direction the ambulance is coming from. If so, the car was lemon squeezing at best. Perhaps they both had a red light. Interesting how one calls it if neither of them should have been in the intersection. Looks like enough blame for everyone to have a little.

[ny10570 745]

In the event if a tie, the blame falls on the ambulance. Due regard.

[Arbrow06 5]

This is exactly what they teach you not to do in CEVO class. You dont want to fly through a light because an ambulance is not safe in a accident and by the looks of this crash at least 3 more ambulances are needed to tend to all the injuries. I feel if your driving a ambulance and blowing lights. Your just being selfish and not thinking of the consequences. DUE REGARD! some people need to etch that with definition into their mind.

And always cover the breaks in an intersection.

Also @ckroll the strecther kind of expected to fall loose because its only meant for lateral forces to prevent it from flying out the back and it really is only secured at three points the guides in the front that hold the two wheels and the lock at the side. During a roll over with such force its bound to fly a bit.

[PEMO3 523]

I have watched this video numerous times both straight through and stopping it and I think we are to quick to toss blame at the Philly Fire Medic driver. I would love to know if anyone knows the actual AI results on this accident. If you watch the video you will note a few key points. The vehicle ahead of the ambulance is making an unobstructed right turn without stopping, the vehicle trailing the ambulance approaches the intersection without reducing speeding and actually proceeds into the interscetion also. These two factors would lead one to believe that while the traffic signal facing the camera was red the signal in their direction may have been green leaving the car that the struck the ambulance in the right rear quarter to have been the vehicle that ran the red traffic control signal. The traffic signal facing the camera that turns green at the 00:06 mark may have actually been a delayed green and not a syncronized green. .Just my observations and conclusions not facts.

[ny10570 745]

Arbrow, I've been to a couple ambulance rollovers and the stretcher never came lose from the mount.