Why Hurry?

[dwcfireman 656]

http://13wham.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/firefighter-involved-bloomfield-crash-24922.shtml?wap=0

This hits a little too close to home for me. I grew up in the next town over....A firefighter was injured while responding to a call that was NOT AN EMERGENCY! It's sad because the consequence can happen to any of us, regardless if we were responding or not, but this is definitely a reminder to everyone out there that you need to play it safe while heading to the station/scene. Follow the rules and get there safe!

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Not surprising that this thread gets no reaction or responses. We are our own worst enemy and the accidents and preventable injuries bear that out.

Have a standard, train to the standard and hold people accountable to make sure we meet the standard in everything they do.

Edited July 29, 2015 by velcroMedic1987

[antiquefirelt 994]

Sadly this type of responses happen far too often. We have a very detailed guideline that requires that you truly need to use lights and sirens or respond in any manner outside of normal traffic, while others immediately around us have the opposite policy: respond Hot unless directed otherwise, and then only by your own Chief. We hear Chiefs running sirens to wires down, bark mulch fires, you name it, embarrassing.

Edited July 27, 2015 by antiquefirelt

[FFPCogs 863]

I understand the nature of some FD's response areas makes POV response necessary, but there are ways to offset the "need" for members to get to the station or scene "hot" in a private vehicle. Chief among these is what volunteer EMS organizations have been doing for years...duty crew staffing. A crew of four in house will get that first rig on the road and on scene with a crew on board prepared and ready to work while the rest of the off-duty members are responding at a reasonble pace, and it will shave minutes off the response time to boot. Add in staffed mutual aid companies and the overriding need for members to speed around town, blue (or red, or green or whatever colored) lights flashing diminishes considerably...even if for only a part of each day.

It's 2015 well into the 21st century....maybe it's time to reevaluate HOW we volunteer as opposed to simply why. And here's one more bonus from a recruiting standpoint: if members know they only have to be available for set hours (where they can train as well), then that will relieve them of having to drop everything for every call and they can schedule the rest of their lives, i.e families, work, hobbies...whatever, while still providing what I truly believe is a higher level of service. A win win in my book.

Edited July 27, 2015 by FFPCogs

[SECTMB 612]

I couldn't help but notice how POV response changed over the years. When I first joined in the 70's, the general public was more attentive and accommodating to a POV with a colored light. Over the years that accommodation became less and less to the point where employing lights to respond almost became counterproductive. You might get someone to yield to you, but usually not.

I imagine the benefit of using lights has a lot to do with your response area, roads traveled, urban or rural, distance to travel, etc. If lights work for you, fine, but in any case, when you deploy your lights you are identifying yourself as a firefighter and your driving with reflect on your department. Drive like a maniac and you diminish your department's reputation along with your own. Drive responsibly and you will be acknowledged positively as a volunteer responding to assist their community.

[dwcfireman 656]

I couldn't help but notice how POV response changed over the years. When I first joined in the 70's, the general public was more attentive and accommodating to a POV with a colored light. Over the years that accommodation became less and less to the point where employing lights to respond almost became counterproductive. You might get someone to yield to you, but usually not.

I imagine the benefit of using lights has a lot to do with your response area, roads traveled, urban or rural, distance to travel, etc. If lights work for you, fine, but in any case, when you deploy your lights you are identifying yourself as a firefighter and your driving with reflect on your department. Drive like a maniac and you diminish your department's reputation along with your own. Drive responsibly and you will be acknowledged positively as a volunteer responding to assist their community.

When I was a volunteer upstate I used my blue lights to respond to every call, and I would say about 95% of other drivers would give way to me. When I moved to Westchester, that number dropped to around 50%. Where I am now, I only use my lights maybe a few times per year (between other drivers not watching, heavy traffic, and more than half my drive to the fire house is outside of my district). I honestly just keep the lights plugged in in the rare event that I come across an accident. I can say without a doubt that the culture of the blue/green light is entirely different from upstate and the lower Hudson valley.

And I don't know why so many volunteers, especially some of the younger generations, feel like that have to drive a million miles per hour to the fire house (or the scene if they're allowed). I don't find it worth causing an accident because I want to shave 15 seconds off my response time. If it's the big one, it's more than likely to be still on fire if I get there a little later.

[spike2231 38]

that is such a true statement if its that big it will be there when you get there I always say so take your time your'e no use dead