call response in POV

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06-17-2011, 07:33 PM
jarowen

call response in POV

In rural Massachusetts, where call and volunteer departments predominate, problems arise when responding to the firehouse to man the apparatus. Here, there is a state law requiring motorist to yield to approaching emergency vehicles ( including POV displaying legally permitted flashing red lights and siren). Pulling over to the right side of the road with turn signal and stopping is required when overtaken from ahead or behind to allow the responding emergency vehicle to safely proceed. Very few motorists are aware of this law and fail to yield, creating unsafe condition for all the road users and often impede the progress of the call, depriving first responders of precious minutes and seconds when life and property are at risk. Sometimes these same uninformed and careless drivers will phone the Chief, or police station, and complain about us firefighters and EMTs trying to safely do our job.
I am interested in how other communities' FD deal with this problem. Public safety awareness campaigns might work. Are there any packaged programs with a proven record of success?
JR
06-17-2011, 09:17 PM
FWDbuff

I usually just pop out of my sunroof and blast a short burst out of my M60 machine gun over their heads. Works wonders.
06-17-2011, 09:33 PM
NY911Bowhunter

This is how I run.....right, wrong, or indifferent.

I have a few whoopie lights on my truck, both front and back. We are a suburban/rural department, and although I live within 3 minutes of the station, I can rearely make a rig.

When I drive with my whoopie lights on, I only pass if the perosn in front of me yields right of way, that means acknowledges me and pulls over, be it a stop or a slow down, but ONLY if it is safe to do so for me and them.

If a driver refuses, so be it...I am runing a courtesy light. I do not need to wreck my truck or get sued.

If there is no traffic in front of me, I typically turn off the lights.

I ALWAYS turn off the front lights at red traffic lights! This helps to avoid alot of confusion.

I always make it a point to drive safely and non-erratically when using my blue lights. I do not need a complaint.
06-17-2011, 09:41 PM
voyager9

Quote:

Originally Posted by FWDbuff

I usually just pop out of my sunroof and blast a short burst out of my M60 machine gun over their heads. Works wonders.

Please excuse my friend. He gets a little overexcited. Obviously an M5 is much more appropriate for this application.

On the question at hand, this is a tough situation. While the law states that motorists must yield to POV responders there is very little you can do if they don't. I've been in that position and it can be frustrating. On the department side first, take a look at the complaints. If the members are driving like knuckleheads then you're going to lose the public. Any campaign will fall on deaf, or angry, ears. I think a pub/ed program to help explain who you are and why your doing it would help. In the end, though if people don't yield, they don't..
06-17-2011, 10:59 PM
Gadfly

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarowen

Sometimes these same uninformed and careless drivers will phone the Chief, or police station, and complain about us firefighters and EMTs trying to safely do our job.

I lived in the Boston area for 2 years and EMTs and firefighters trying to SAFELY do their job when it came to emergency driving seemed to be the exception, not the rule. I can't count the number of times I've seen ambulances (and, mind you, I'm talking about marked ambulances, not POVs with a red light and a siren) feel the need to push a line of cars through a red light into an intersection with the ambulance 4-5 cars back or running up I-93 with lights and sirens trying to get cars moving out of their way with traffic going 65+ mph (despite the absolute asinine speed limit of 55 mph). If providers are that bad in marked units, I can't imagine the stupidity that goes on during a POV response.
06-18-2011, 05:44 PM
FWDbuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by voyager9

Please excuse my friend. He gets a little overexcited. Obviously an M5 is much more appropriate for this application.

Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.
06-20-2011, 10:03 AM
evtrandy

Two things to remember,
1- Nobody cares unless it is their house that's on fire or their dad having a MI.
2- The most important thing is getting there.
06-20-2011, 10:31 AM
EastKyFF

I always tell our guys in driver training:

We want to get there fast, but the "get there" comes before the "fast".
06-20-2011, 01:07 PM
KB1OEV

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarowen

Here, there is a state law requiring motorist to yield to approaching emergency vehicles ( including POV displaying legally permitted flashing red lights and siren). Pulling over to the right side of the road with turn signal and stopping is required when overtaken from ahead or behind to allow the responding emergency vehicle to safely proceed.

What state are you from again? Massachusetts does not recognize POVs with lights as emergency vehicles and has no law that you must pull over for them.

If people are calling the chief to complain, maybe you are not driving safely. POVs are held to the same laws and speed limits as any other car on the road. Only emergency vehicles are permitted to exceed the speed limit as long as it is safe to do so; and a POV is not one of them.
06-21-2011, 12:31 AM
LVFD301

Quote:

Originally Posted by voyager9

Please excuse my friend. He gets a little overexcited. Obviously an M5 is much more appropriate for this application.

.

Lightweights.

Dual M2 50 cals, mounted on a joystick operated turntable, remotely fired.
06-21-2011, 02:26 AM
FIREMECH1

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVFD301

Lightweights.
Dual M2 50 cals, mounted on a joystick operated turntable, remotely fired.

Boys and their toys.

Real men use a M134 Gatling gun, on a swivel.

FM1
06-21-2011, 12:21 PM
KB1OEV

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREMECH1

Boys and their toys.

Real men use a M134 Gatling gun, on a swivel.

FM1

Something like this maybe?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZPTDh1YHvA
06-22-2011, 01:51 AM
FIREMECH1

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB1OEV

Something like this maybe?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZPTDh1YHvA

Yep, that be the one.

My other choice has radiation issues, so I left it out. :D

FM1
06-22-2011, 07:58 AM
FWDbuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREMECH1

My other choice has radiation issues, so I left it out.

So go for the PPB-76.......no half lifes to deal with, with an explosion just as exciting!!!!
06-24-2011, 03:38 PM
voyager9

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB1OEV

Something like this maybe?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZPTDh1YHvA

I think I just peed a little..

Only problem is you need someone to man it... Another option that is remotely operated:
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....hammer_088.jpg
06-27-2011, 10:05 AM
donethat

Ammo Load

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB1OEV

Something like this maybe?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZPTDh1YHvA

I wouldn't want to have to hand load all the brass discharging from the gun. It would take the better part of three weeks!!!!