Respond or Enroute to the scene?

I wanted to get some input as to your response mode to calls. It is up to our dispatch based on certain info and criteria but it still has us going lights and sirens to non-emergency calls. Do you go lights and sirens on all calls? What about to a doctors office? What determines an Engine response to back up a rescue or visa versa? Leaving the scene(transporting to the hospital or LZ) will be a case by case decision on whether you go lights and sirens but I am interested in how much "running hot" could be eliminated.

Dispatchers determine response mode based on call information per dispatch cards, as additional information is received this mode or card selection might change. Company and Chief Officers can change the response mode or equipment. Not all calls are handled in the emergency mode. Most Doctor office calls are cardiac or breathing related - very few of these offices have ACLS complete medications, equipment, or the personnel to properly treat a patient. EMS alarms are carded by type (BLS/ALS), severity, number of patients, hazards, distance, nature of injury or illness. ALS alarms - Rescue, Engine or Truck and an Ambulance, BLS alarms - nearest unit. It has been my experience that most folks who used 911 services know that to say to receive the fastest response/care (I have chest pains, when realy I have a cut toe). Non-emergency EMS calls should be: insect in ear, insomnia, elevated temperature in an adult, tooth ache, vaginal itch, dislodged hemorrhoid, worms coming from different parts of the body, seeing tracers on moving objects, hearing voices - yes we run all of these.

We recently switched from running hot to cold on bls calls enroute to the hospital. ALS is still hot. We run cold on invalid assists change of quarters, special duties (lockout) and CO without illness. We tried it on dumpster , rubbish and car fires without exposures and second due apparatus to fire alarms but found that it seems to confuse the public when some vehicles are going hot and some are not. Also had a hard time getting to the minor fires due to congestion around the scene without our lights on.

I think you should run lights and sirens at all times. Even for drills and stuff with lights and sirens you have alot less chance of causing an accident. An engine is not a regular vehicle and should run lights and sirens anytime it is on the road. Just my two cents.

I hope 224JRFF is kidding....

The decision regarding emergency / non-emergency should be in the hands of the responding firefighters, based on the information provided by dispatch. Many dispatchers are not firefighters, and most have "run cards" or some type of protocol-based response recommendation. YOU are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of your apparatus, and must weigh the increased risks associated with emergency driving against the possible benefit. Nearly all departments have seen an increase in the number of responses over the years, but the greatest increases have been service-related in nature. Most emergency runs only shave a minute or two off the response time. Of the calls you answer, how many would have a significantly different outcome based on this time difference? Think about it and stay safe!

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R.A. Ricciuti, Firefighter
Mt. Lebanon Fire Department
www.mtlfd.org

Originally posted by 224JRFF:
I think you should run lights and sirens at all times. Even for drills and stuff with lights and sirens you have alot less chance of causing an accident. An engine is not a regular vehicle and should run lights and sirens anytime it is on the road. Just my two cents.

I hope your kidding. You sound serious but that makes no sense anyway.

Matt