Last night on my way home, I came up on a bad accident. From what I was told by witnesses, a volunteer fireman was responding code 3. At a rural crossroads, he entered the main road. A car coming from the other direction slowed or stopped but the one behind passed. From the looks of the vehicles, speed was quite high. No idea yet on final outcome of injuries, but LifeFlight was brought in as well as land vehicles.

If you are responding, remember that there are folks out there who will not honor your warnings. Don't let your adrenalin outdistance your caution. We'd rather have you safe.

Be safe,

Ed

 

I've seen guys do this a lot. I know it's tough to control, but if you don't control it, you can end up making a situation worse, not better. I don't ever run lights unless I absolutely have to. The funny thing is that when you're driving a crown vic, it's a whole different world than when you're driving a POV to a scene. People move without the lights anyways, and nobody passes you. It's kind of annoying when you're just driving, but it sure is nice when you're responding.

 

It doesn't really matter what you're driving. You have to drive like you're on a bicycle nobody sees you and nobody yields to you. I routinely drive both a large ambulance and an even larger firetruck and people don't care. It's not their emergency.

 

We have a saying, "You can't help them if you don't make it there." Sorry to hear about it.
Don

 

I'm out here in a rural area and most of our trucks are slow... TOP SPEED of 45-55 MPH.

Usually we have good response from others on the road to stay back or pull over. But you'll always have one that is in a total hurry!

 

Down in Fla. a wrecker with its lights on and empty is a emergency vehciles.Wont tell you how many times going to a wreck on the interstate I got cut of.Plus the time I was flipping a car back on its wheeles my wrecker was T-boned.I was told by the person that I cut thim off.???

 

As I see it some people should not have the privilege of driving a motor vehicle. It is a shame something like this happened, but if they were pulled out of their car, cuffed, taken to the station, then to the hospital I bet a lot of this would subside. Any time I see bubbles flashing I get off the road as soon as possible, to give all the clearance I can to an emergency vehicle.

 

We're trained that one's personal safety is job one.

You can't help anyone if you become a victim. Our dept is like many in that we don't allow rookies to run emergency traffic (no red lights, nothing) till they've completed all the rookie training. Even then, we constantly remind folks.

Lately, because of the mess that sherod speaks of, our county is making it where nobody runs code 3 unless there's a confirmed life hazard.




Don't make me come git you!

BC
14yrs http://www.buiescreekfire.com/ (FF1, EMTD, ERT, DO)

 

My POV is my '01 Ram, and Lake County is rural. When driving my POV, I am cautious at intersections, but am heavy on the throttle when it's OK to do so. We don't use lights in our POV, but we do have plates in the front to identify us. I typicaly drive a 13 speed 1.5k gal tanker, top speed of 65 mph down hill. Once in a while I will drive the woods truck or the woods tanker (old military 6x) I can't believe how many people will 'stop' in the middle of a 4 lane highway, because they hear sirens, instead of 'pulling over' THEN stop. Our Engines our governed to 65 mph. Do you know how aggrivating it is to be doing 65 on the interstate with lights and sirens, and people passing us like we are standing still, only to get to the accident scene before us, and then have to figure out how to move so we can get by. I do feel for you guys who are in the big cities, but I couldn't do it there.

 

I usually drive my POV unless I get to the station first. I live in a rural county, and people pull out of the way MOST of the time. I never drive faster than conditions allow. I have a red strobe and wig wag + siren. The wig wag seems to get the most attention, and I lay on the siren horn or phaser when going through what few intersections we have. What I hate is to run to town on a mutual aid run, and then get 10:22d. All those people you passed see you turn off everything, turn around and go back. They look mad because they think you playing.

 

I drive this every third day.

Click Here

it's a little over 70' long and weighs almost 80,000 lbs and i still have to drive it like i'm riding a motorcycle. people act like they can't see us and will NOT get out of our way. i have driven behind many people with lights, siren, and horn blaring and they won't even think about getting out of our way. it is very frustrating. these are the same people that that ask "what took you guys so long to get here" when something happens to them. "you should know"

truly annoying.

britt

 

Do you get to drive the front seat, or the rear seat?

I think the rear seat would be funner, kinda like backing up everywhere you go.

Left to go right, right to go left, etc.


phox

 

i started off in the back but now i drive the front. it is based on seniority. you are right, it is a blast to drive the back. it is amazing some of the places we can put this truck. driving the back is a lot easier then it seems. the trailer pretty much tells you what direction it wants to go. you just get a "feel" for it through the steering wheel. backing up and lining back up with the truck after a turn are the two hardest things to get used to.

the tillerman has the easiest job on the fire dept. all he has to do is follow the guy up front. even if he hits someone or something the guy up front gets the blame. not fair but it is just the way it is.

britt

 

Britt that's a very Nice Truck