EMERGENT cover up response?!?!?!? - Firehouse Forums

911WACKER · 02-02-2002, 07:54 PM

Can anyone tell me why a fire chief would mandate that any station transfer's get lights and siren?

Here's what I think:

1. it's against the V&T codes(unlawfull)
2. unsafe, unsafe, unsafe (drink hot coffee faster?)
3. Chief has a big knob to polish on the way???

SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME INFO TO HELP CONVINCE THESE IDIOTS THAT THEY ARE IDIOTS!!

This is a new policy and the Chief just out of the blue thinks it's ok becouse if the pagers go off it's a "emergency", HA!!

Knighthawk · 02-02-2002, 09:19 PM

We have the same problem with the town next to us. They run lights and siren, and let me tell they use that siren even in the middle of the night with no traffic, to go cover another dept. just south of us. I don't understand why they do it unless it is just to beat the other station there (there are tow stations in that town).

mw101 · 02-03-2002, 04:43 AM

KnightHawk
Man O Man can I relate. We have a sister company
that does the same damn thing. It doesnt matter
what freakin time of night it is and those guys
are laying on the "Q".And the kicker is there is no
traffic As far as the cover assignments, if these
guys are responding with lights and sirens to go sit
in another fire house. The obvious answer is that
these guys dont get enough
action.
Get this one....a company two towns over from us
responds like bats out of hell to the call,and when
the O.I.C. advises all units to clear, they leave
all their lights on and go back to the station.
All I have to say is WOW!!!!

BonCreChief · 02-03-2002, 06:36 PM

What is this Chief thinking. The liabilities of running lights and sirens just for a move up or fill-in could destroy the financial stability of a department involved in a fatal or critical injury M.V.A. In our state you can be ticketed and fined for running Code 3 to an incident in which you have been officially informed by dispatch that a reduced or adaptive response is appropiate. A transfer is an automatic reduced response and if you were to run lights and siren on this type of call I feel sure that some of our local law enforcement would be more than happy to remind you of that fact. This is not a dig against law inforcement just a statement that such a practice here would result in a summons and a visit to the judge.

Just a note so you will not get the wrong idea about our law enforcement, if it is a call where lights and sirens are needed they support us by blocking intersections, escorts for ambulances, tickets for those who fail to yield, and any other way they can help. They just don,t put up with an abuse of the system.

One more thing and I will shut up. If the public knows that you run lights and sirens for things that are not really an emergency, what makes you think that they will yield to you when you have a real emergency.

HF&R_H28 · 02-28-2002, 07:33 PM

If im correct, NC law states that only emergency vehicles can have sirenes, and only the chief and asst chief, nobody besides these. so that eliminates most of that problem.

FireFighterMO · 03-08-2002, 08:55 PM

HF&R_H28,
You're the only one on the thread from N.C.?

I was against it when I thought we were talking about Fire Trucks relocating. I think the police should really get involved if POV's are doing this.

Scotty4035 · 03-16-2002, 01:01 AM

My dept's policy is that rear warning flashers only aare to be used when responding to a cover assignment & all traffic laws are to be obeyed. The only reason you are to run the rear flashers is that you are on a call. Also, Bunker gear must be worn in transit until at the station we are covering, just in case we are pulled into the scene while still in transit.
We had an incident a long time ago where guys were responding to a cover,& got pulled into the scene. Needless to say, they piled of the truck & then got dressed. The Cheif was hot & it never happened again!

raricciuti · 03-17-2002, 01:48 AM

PA law prohibits an "emergency" response for a station fill - not that the law is adhered to by all departments. I would love to here some of the justifications for operating lights & sirens just to change the garage your truck is parked in. If you're filling a station, you're not responding to an emergency - period. There is no emergency at your destination. If the OIC wants you to change destinations and report to the incident scene, then you're responding to an emergency, and may be able to justify opering code-3. Emergency lights and sirens are for emergencies; a station fill rates around a service call at best. To respond code-3 to fill a station defies common sense (which is not common), violates the law in many places, and is just plain irresponsible. I'd like to be in the courtroom should someone sue the department over an accident - listening to the excuses for running code-3 would be entertaining at a minimum. We (the fire service) can be are own worst enemies at times (hint: this is one of those times).

02-02-2002, 07:54 PM	#1
911WACKER Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Waverly, NY Posts: 184	EMERGENT cover up response?!?!?!? Can anyone tell me why a fire chief would mandate that any station transfer's get lights and siren? Here's what I think: 1. it's against the V&T codes(unlawfull) 2. unsafe, unsafe, unsafe (drink hot coffee faster?) 3. Chief has a big knob to polish on the way??? SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME INFO TO HELP CONVINCE THESE IDIOTS THAT THEY ARE IDIOTS!! This is a new policy and the Chief just out of the blue thinks it's ok becouse if the pagers go off it's a "emergency", HA!! __________________ Firefighter/NREMT-P/Public Safety Diver May we ride into the darkness only to return as safe as we started!! Last edited by 911WACKER; 02-02-2002 at 10:05 PM.

02-02-2002, 09:19 PM	#2
Knighthawk Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: New Jersey Posts: 55	We have the same problem with the town next to us. They run lights and siren, and let me tell they use that siren even in the middle of the night with no traffic, to go cover another dept. just south of us. I don't understand why they do it unless it is just to beat the other station there (there are tow stations in that town). __________________ "The saw won't start, heh, grab the axe and start chopping"

02-03-2002, 06:36 PM	#4
BonCreChief Junior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Franklinton, LA Posts: 27	What is this Chief thinking. The liabilities of running lights and sirens just for a move up or fill-in could destroy the financial stability of a department involved in a fatal or critical injury M.V.A. In our state you can be ticketed and fined for running Code 3 to an incident in which you have been officially informed by dispatch that a reduced or adaptive response is appropiate. A transfer is an automatic reduced response and if you were to run lights and siren on this type of call I feel sure that some of our local law enforcement would be more than happy to remind you of that fact. This is not a dig against law inforcement just a statement that such a practice here would result in a summons and a visit to the judge. Just a note so you will not get the wrong idea about our law enforcement, if it is a call where lights and sirens are needed they support us by blocking intersections, escorts for ambulances, tickets for those who fail to yield, and any other way they can help. They just don,t put up with an abuse of the system. One more thing and I will shut up. If the public knows that you run lights and sirens for things that are not really an emergency, what makes you think that they will yield to you when you have a real emergency. __________________ "Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions, they are a lot easier to handle than dumb mistakes" Author Unknown

03-08-2002, 08:55 PM	#6
FireFighterMO Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Catatonic State Posts: 112	??????? HF&R_H28, You're the only one on the thread from N.C.? I was against it when I thought we were talking about Fire Trucks relocating. I think the police should really get involved if POV's are doing this.

03-16-2002, 01:01 AM	#7
Scotty4035 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Roebling,NJ 08554 Posts: 16	My dept's policy is that rear warning flashers only aare to be used when responding to a cover assignment & all traffic laws are to be obeyed. The only reason you are to run the rear flashers is that you are on a call. Also, Bunker gear must be worn in transit until at the station we are covering, just in case we are pulled into the scene while still in transit. We had an incident a long time ago where guys were responding to a cover,& got pulled into the scene. Needless to say, they piled of the truck & then got dressed. The Cheif was hot & it never happened again! __________________ Scotty Ladder 4035 Station 403 Florence Twp. Fire Dept

02-03-2002, 04:43 AM	#3
mw101 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Jersey Posts: 5	KnightHawk Man O Man can I relate. We have a sister company that does the same damn thing. It doesnt matter what freakin time of night it is and those guys are laying on the "Q".And the kicker is there is no traffic As far as the cover assignments, if these guys are responding with lights and sirens to go sit in another fire house. The obvious answer is that these guys dont get enough action. Get this one....a company two towns over from us responds like bats out of hell to the call,and when the O.I.C. advises all units to clear, they leave all their lights on and go back to the station. All I have to say is WOW!!!!

02-28-2002, 07:33 PM	#5
HF&R_H28 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 228	If im correct, NC law states that only emergency vehicles can have sirenes, and only the chief and asst chief, nobody besides these. so that eliminates most of that problem.

03-17-2002, 01:48 AM	#8
raricciuti Forum Member Join Date: Jun 1999 Location: Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228 Posts: 121	PA law prohibits an "emergency" response for a station fill - not that the law is adhered to by all departments. I would love to here some of the justifications for operating lights & sirens just to change the garage your truck is parked in. If you're filling a station, you're not responding to an emergency - period. There is no emergency at your destination. If the OIC wants you to change destinations and report to the incident scene, then you're responding to an emergency, and may be able to justify opering code-3. Emergency lights and sirens are for emergencies; a station fill rates around a service call at best. To respond code-3 to fill a station defies common sense (which is not common), violates the law in many places, and is just plain irresponsible. I'd like to be in the courtroom should someone sue the department over an accident - listening to the excuses for running code-3 would be entertaining at a minimum. We (the fire service) can be are own worst enemies at times (hint: this is one of those times). __________________ R.A. Ricciuti Mt. Lebanon Fire Department

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