Lights and Sirens Use

[Ensihoitaja]

Unknown injury means no one is on scene to confirm one way or another. In an more built up area I would not like this policy but here people have to drive quite a ways to get cell service so there is really no way to get any info about the scene. Law enforcement is also not allowed to decide on injuries one way or another (I have mixed thoughts on this), so even if they are on scene they cannot shut us down per their own command staff.

For another data point, we don't respond on unknown injury accidents. Police respond non-emergent and fire responds emergent because that's pretty much the only way they respond.

 

[CCCSD]

So someone gets killed in an accident. Now people want to restrict responses based on faulty ideas and personal biases.

****s gonna happen. People will die. It’s a fact of life. More EVOC training would be the first step. Or...just make all ambulances handy vans and have EMS attached to Fire.

Mountain out of a molehill. Suck it up. Drive (literally) on.

 

[Tigger]

So someone gets killed in an accident. Now people want to restrict responses based on faulty ideas and personal biases.

****s gonna happen. People will die. It’s a fact of life. More EVOC training would be the first step. Or...just make all ambulances handy vans and have EMS attached to Fire.

Mountain out of a molehill. Suck it up. Drive (literally) on.

Now? People have wanted to restrict lights and siren use in all aspects of public safety use for years. Why doesn't law enforcement respond emergent on all calls for service? Could it have to with some risk management?

 

[DrParasite]

Why doesn't law enforcement respond emergent on all calls for service? Could it have to with some risk management?

Maybe it's because very often, all they are doing is taking a report, and there is very rarely any reason to rush simply to write a report?

although I have seen LEOs responding to incidents with L&S, when I didn't agree with their sense of urgency because they are only functioning in a supportive role for that particular incident (cough cough, 5 cop cars lights and sirens to the front of a burning house, blocking fire hydrants and access for the fire department cough cough)

 

[DesertMedic66]

Maybe it's because very often, all they are doing is taking a report, and there is very rarely any reason to rush simply to write a report?

although I have seen LEOs responding to incidents with L&S, when I didn't agree with their sense of urgency because they are only functioning in a supportive role for that particular incident (cough cough, 5 cop cars lights and sirens to the front of a burning house, blocking fire hydrants and access for the fire department cough cough)

Payback for when the unnecessary fire engine blocks the driveway on all medical calls...

 

[CCCSD]

Because LE operate under different guidelines and policies dictate L&S use. It’s quitecontrolled, you just don’t have any idea. We are also trained better at EVOC and other things.

 

[rescue1]

https://www.ems.gov/pdf/Lights_and_Sirens_Use_by_EMS_May_2017.pdf

 

[hometownmedic5]

Maybe it's because very often, all they are doing is taking a report, and there is very rarely any reason to rush simply to write a report?

You just accuratley described 95% of BLS emergencies.

 

[Tigger]

Maybe it's because very often, all they are doing is taking a report, and there is very rarely any reason to rush simply to write a report?

although I have seen LEOs responding to incidents with L&S, when I didn't agree with their sense of urgency because they are only functioning in a supportive role for that particular incident (cough cough, 5 cop cars lights and sirens to the front of a burning house, blocking fire hydrants and access for the fire department cough cough)

I was being fasciuetos. I find it absurd that the below LEO thinks that EMS should not restrict emergent responses despite law enforcement doing that very thing.

Because LE operate under different guidelines and policies dictate L&S use. It’s quitecontrolled, you just don’t have any idea. We are also trained better at EVOC and other things.

So you mean there are policies for lights and siren use? Perhaps EMS should adopt such policies? Or nah, people just die, crap just happens?

 

[CCCSD]

No matter what, people die. Policies or not.
It appears you don’t have much experience in this...

 

[Phillyrube]

I used to routinely downgrade response when crossing into a different patrol sector, based on the call. Knee injury? No L&S. Chest pain? L&S. Unknown injury? No L&S, and wait for update from Fire response.

I've had supervisors yelling for L&S on a 25 miles response for a hand injury, in order to get back in service quicker.

 

[CCCSD]

Being able to give a Handy J is important. Perhaps that’s why they wanted L&S response...

 

[DrParasite]

Got dispatched for an MVA once. cop on scene said no lights or sirens. we were coming from the other end of town, and since it was in rush hour traffic, we didn't go anywhere fast..... 15 minutes later, he asked us for an ETA, and since it wasn't quick enough for it, he filed a formal complaint. When I told my boss why it took so long, and who told us to go non-emergent on dispatch, the patrol captain told the cop the only person at fault was the person who directed EMS to modify their response.

I'm pretty sure he called him an idiot too.

 

[CCCSD]

Classic!