Emergent vs. non-emergent responses

[jdostal]

Hello,

I am looking to find some information on any types of studies that show the time difference between driving emergent and non-emergent to emergency calls. I would like to use this info. in a training to show that driving as fast as you can with lights & sirens is not always neccesary and may be more dangerous compared to the type of emergency you are responding to.

Thanks

[CaptOldTimer]

Hello,

I am looking to find some information on any types of studies that show the time difference between driving emergent and non-emergent to emergency calls. I would like to use this info. in a training to show that driving as fast as you can with lights & sirens is not always neccesary and may be more dangerous compared to the type of emergency you are responding to.

Thanks

I can't say for everyone, but most departments are only allowed to exceed the posted speed limit by 10 MPH if they can do that at all.

In some cities and or counties it may be hard to go the post speed limit due to the high traffic conditions.

[zzyyzx]

We seldom go more than 10 mph over the speed limit, per SOP. However, where it comes in handy for us to cut down on time waiting for lights to change and to (hopefully) get others to yield the right of way to us. However, in my state, a red light doesn't guarantee right of way, it just requests it (although citizens are supposed to pullover for lights & sirens). Our dept SOP requires us to still stop at all controlled intersections and assure it is clear before we take the right of way. We must ALWAYS drive with due regard.

Our dispatch also prioritizes calls and certain ones get lights & sirens from all responding units, others are just lights & sirens from in district only/first due and finally there are ones that are no lights or sirens.

Also, knowing our districts so we can avoid traffic & controlled intersections saves much more time than driving lights and sirens.

But as for reports, do a search on here. I know I've seen it discussed before.

[DFDMAXX]

Do it yourself, it will have more relevency to your people this way.

Take some of your emergency responses with their times, and drive it non-emergent in the same traffic conditions. Compare times.

Real world local data. Can't beat it.

[RFDACM02]

We respond to life and limb calls emergency and anything else non-emergency. Basically is if the type of call is as reported could seriously injure or kill a human, we go hot, if not we run cold. That being the basic premise we have a detailed list of calls types we run both ways.

A few years back I had the fortune of arriving at the same intersection as one of our ambulances running emergency to the hospital and following them to the same. I was in my POV and travelling cold, they were again running lights and sirens and travelling as fast as safely possible though a downtown area and up a busy road. There are 6 traffic lights between the point we met and the hospital 4.5 miles away. They passed 3 red lights, I stopped at two as I lagged behind and when they arrived at the hospital doors they were the length of the hospital driveway ahead of me, or about 1/4 mile. So running emergency through traffic and lights, they gained very little, which put it into perspective for me. Of course our drivers are required to stop at every red light before proceeding and use caution as a rule. I would not trade this for better response times.

It's not hard to mathematically calculate given straight line distances at different speeds. 10 mph doesn't do much for you on short runs and that doesn't account for slowing down when approaching other motorist, intersections, redlights, stop signs, etc.

[CKirk922]

I took a Beyond Helmets and Hoses course presented by Pierce Mfg et al with Chief Shane Ray as the presenter. Chief Ray had stats run from his department and I seem to recall this as one of the topics he covered. He would be an excellent contact. His contact info is on FIRE TEAM USAs site. You will have to google it. Chief Ray is with the Pleasantview, Tenn. fire department I think.