Apparatus Rolling Code 3

[ffbam24]

Any suggestions/recommendations on when responding which rig should be first? (Aid Car or the Engine?)

Trying to find any articles if they are out there too.

I like to have my engine roll first then the aid car follows. Reasoning: The engine can't stop on a dime, so if the aid car is first and stops suddenly, the engine may not stop in time and rear-end the aid car.

Any feedback or can anyone point me toward some articles?

bam

[Weruj1]

Bam,
that post is really vague...........if you have a medical/EMS call why would not the aid car go first ? Second if your engine is that far up the aid cars whazoooooo then you have muvh bigger issues.More info please.

[Dave1983]

Our SOP has always been to have the smaller unit follow the larger. So when our engine rolls with the DC, the chief follows. The engine is larger and has more emergency lights which makes it easier to see and it makes more noise (electronic & "Q" with dual air horns), all of which are better for clearing traffic.

As far as I know, all the other area FD's have the same SOP.

Dave

[SCOOBY14B]

Biggest, loudest, brightest first. Others 500' behind. If the second is "shadowing" it can be hit when driver pulls back out into traffic. Granted...500' can give a lot of distance to allow cars to sneak back in.

One of our double houses has engine, squad, rescue, ladder and BC. A few shifts ago we were their along with half the battalion training. We got a working apt fire and had three engines, two ladders, rescue, squad, BC and div chief rolling. Talk about a rolling train.

[NickSBFD6]

Originally posted by ffbam24
The engine can't stop on a dime, so if the aid car is first and stops suddenly, the engine may not stop in time and rear-end the aid car.

Than your engine driver, is either driving too fast or following too close.... There is no excuse of ANY KIND to rear end another vehicle with a fire truck... NEVER.

-Nick

[firenresq77]

Ditto on the engine first, although I'm not quite sure what you're talking about for an Aide car.

Also have to agree that if you are worried about apparatus getting rear ended by other apparatus, then you have some major driver's training issues that need to be addressed..........

[kghemtp]

Scooby makes a good point, as do others. An ambulance is much more maneuverable, which would be helpful when the driving public chooses to fall back into traffic after the first piece rolls by. Fortunately, the first truck has often caught the attention of drivers, so they have a greater likelihood of expecting another one.

[42VTExplorer]

I've responded a few times to the airport for a plane emergency, had an aerial and a pumper behind the Chevy Tahoe used by the chief. Never had an issue with apparatus responding too close together and never had an issue with people pulling in between the apparatus. If people can't here and see the apparatus responding, either you need to get your emergency sound systems checked, or they need some hearing aides and glasses.

[firenresq77]

Originally posted by 42VTExplorer
If people can't here and see the apparatus responding, either you need to get your emergency sound systems checked, or they need some hearing aides and glasses.

Either you haven't responded in apparatus a whole lot or the peopl in your area are totally different than those in the rrest of the US, because that is a common problem all over. You can have all the lights and sirens in the world, and you will still have people that don't pay attention and know you are there........

[Dave1983]

Try living in FLA, where the majority of drivers have hearing aids, glasses AND have trouble seeing over the steering wheel.

Dave

[Sleuth]

You mean like the driver who pulled in front of me code 3 in our tender, then suddenly slowed to pull into a driveway? He must think that 2,000 gal of H2O is light weight! I tried every tone on the siren, plus the air horn, I even tried the PA system!

[ffbam24]

All very good points.
Unfortunately there are a few cowboys and freelancers here who rush to beat anybody and everybody out of the barn. (Yes! A very big issue.)

Now we haven't had an actual "issue", but I have raised my concern and was looking to see if there is any documentation to support those concerns to make these individuals possibly slowdown and take a look.

I'll have to see if our elusive SOP's address this. If not, they should.

To clarify, our aid car and engine will both respond code 3 to say CPR or an MVA. Most other calls one will respond code red and the other will shadow it code yellow.

[firespec35]

Ok either I haven't had enough caffine yet or I'm missing something. What is an aid car. Is your dept using a caprice or crown vic as a firstline medical response unit or is it just another name for your squad, rescue, medic etc...

[Sleuth]

Also, what the heck is 'code yellow'?
Code 3 - red lights and siren
Code 2 - red lights only (rarely used any more)
Code 1 - No lights or siren, as fast as traffic/road conditions allow at (not above) the speed limit.

27 years in Law Enforcement (Both Coasts & the Southern Border), 3 years FF, never heard of 'code yellow'.

[ffbam24]

An Aid Car is very much a ambulance or medic chasis, used to respond and at times transport a BLS (Basic Life Support) patient. And in rare occasion a ALS (Advanced Life Support) patient with a Paramedic riding providing patient care with the assistance of a BLS-trained FF/EMT.

This whole Code Red/Yellow thing you about have figured out.

Code 3 : Lights and Sirens : Code Red
Code 1 : NO lights or sirens. Traveling with traffic flow. : Code Yellow

These are probably Pacific NW specific terms. More agency specific due to the confusion on these.

[firespec35]

Ok I'm not nutz. We had a dept out here that was split from PSO down to the PD disbanded and fire being part time with shifts and they ran a firsline medical (MFR) unit from a repainted cop car for a while till they bought a squad type vehicle.

[alcsmith]

I actually have a dispute going on in my Co.

My "Senior" team per say like to say they are responding:

Class 1 - Lights/Sirens and the Whoopie Cushion

Class 3 - If Normal

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I have said time and time again it's the reverse (and no I purposley left is class instead of code because in PA they use code 3 as something else i.e. DOA on board.)