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View Full Version : A Q on emergency services in US


Betonov
02-17-11, 05:43 AM
Just watching Third Watch and Bringing out the dead a few days earlier, I noticed that emergency vehicles are blowing their sirens during night-time. But here, any sounds are forbiden between 10PM and 6AM, only lights. Soo...

Is this just for the movies (like sounds in space in Sci-Fi shows) or are sirens allowed during night-time in the US

papa_smurf
02-17-11, 06:31 AM
Emergency services here in UK run their blues & twos (sirens + lights) at all hours.

August
02-17-11, 10:27 AM
Emergency services here in UK run their blues & twos (sirens + lights) at all hours.

Same here. (although we don't have the fancy name!@ :DL )

Dowly
02-17-11, 10:43 AM
Got silent emergency vehicles here too during the night. :yep:

Schroeder
02-17-11, 11:29 AM
Depends on traffic I think. I've seen them both here quiet and loud.:hmmm:

Sailor Steve
02-17-11, 12:34 PM
I hear them at night all the time.

AVGWarhawk
02-17-11, 12:40 PM
Sirens run 24/7 here. Unless it is what is called a silent B&E. This means a breaking and entering is in progress and the cops do not want the perp to know they are coming. :03: Sirens off.

Betonov
02-17-11, 04:34 PM
OK, thanks for all the answers :yeah:

It's a regional thing then

Platapus
02-17-11, 04:41 PM
When I was riding on the squads in Nebraska, it depended on where we were and the individual case

In residential areas, we rolled in on the scene with lights only and used the siren only at intersections or when someone was too stupid to notice an EMS squad behind them (yes these types do exist). The rational was that sirens only tend to attract people.

In industrial areas, We rode in with lights and sirens.

On the way to the hospital we rode with lights and sirens all the time. Many times if it was a call in a residential area and it was in the dead of night, we might kill the siren until we get out of the neighbourhood, but that was usually up to the driver.

August
02-17-11, 05:39 PM
OK, thanks for all the answers :yeah:

It's a regional thing then


There might be in some cases state standards to follow but actually it's pretty much up to the individual towns and cities.

Penguin
02-17-11, 06:14 PM
People here should use the sirens only to raise attention, but usually they keep them on in heavy traffic or in the cities during the day, would be a bugger to turn them on and off at every intersection. At night they turn them off most of the time, but are free to use them if necessary.

we rolled in on the scene with lights only and used the siren only at intersections or when someone was too stupid to notice an EMS squad behind them (yes these types do exist). The rational was that sirens only tend to attract people.


I'm sure that the drivers in Slovenia also follow this practive in emergency cases, I cannot imagine that they put the need for silence before a human life

Gargamel
02-17-11, 09:32 PM
In the US, it's a liability question.

If we are running hot (Lights and sirens), then we need to have both on. If we were to get in an accident, and we didn't have one of the two running, then we are GUARANTEED to be found liable for anything that resulted. I personally know a medic who served jail time for not fully clearing (making sure all traffic was stopped) an intersection, and an resultant accident killed some people, even though he had the green light.

In the state of Ohio, Emergency vehicles are forbidden to break the speed limit unless we are running hot. We all have seen the cops do it all the time, and if you wanted to, you could report them. And when we are running hot, we are limited to 10 mph over max. There is also this clause in the Ohio Revised Code that states that we will proceed with "due regard". That means if anything happens, and good lawyer would be able to blame us for it.

So anytime I would be in a hurry, and just not my normal speeding like everybody else, I would turn on both the lights and sirens, any time, any where. The only time I would not use them is under special circumstances, like in heavy fog or snow I'll reduce the number of lights flashing so they don't blind me.

Sledgehammer427
02-17-11, 10:39 PM
Gargamel, you work an ambulance right?
those things have more lights than a rock concert.

Onkel Neal
02-17-11, 11:28 PM
Just watching Third Watch and Bringing out the dead a few days earlier, I noticed that emergency vehicles are blowing their sirens during night-time. But here, any sounds are forbiden between 10PM and 6AM, only lights. Soo...

Is this just for the movies (like sounds in space in Sci-Fi shows) or are sirens allowed during night-time in the US


Yes, they run those *&%($@ sirens 24/7, even when they are not needed. I think it's how they get off.

Betonov
02-18-11, 02:34 AM
I'm sure that the drivers in Slovenia also follow this practive in emergency cases, I cannot imagine that they put the need for silence before a human life

Don't think so, They use the horn (which is not a regular car horn, more like a train horn) if someone wont move, but the sirens are pretty much off.
The way I think of it, my country is pretty much open spaces and lights can be seen from very far away, and durin night time roads are also mostly empty and even if the driver didnt saw the lights the ambulance can simply overtake him without any problems or slowdown

But if the need arises they'll turn the sirens on. The driving culture here is on the level of neandretals with bumper cars, not as bad as greece but baaaad. And cops will never give a ticket to an ambulance driver, even though silence during night is mandatory by law

Armistead
02-18-11, 10:20 AM
Emergency services here in UK run their blues & twos (sirens + lights) at all hours.

Same here. We have an elderly couple in our neighborhood that constantly calls the ambulance service, always late at night. First, volunteer firemen, mostly lights, then a host of firetrucks and always last the ambulance, sirens a blasting. Wakes the entire hood up, 200 dogs barking like mad and everyone gets up

Growler
02-18-11, 11:21 AM
Don't worry, 'stead. One of these days, it'll be the last time you'll have to go through that.

Gargamel
02-18-11, 04:21 PM
Gargamel, you work an ambulance right?
those things have more lights than a rock concert.

I used to, I recently (few weeks ago) "retired". Got sick of it. Not the work, I loved the job. Just hated where I worked, and that there is no future in it, other than getting fat, deaf, and a bad back. Oh, and no pay with nobody ever saying thank you. Maybe Once every 6 months did somebody say thank you and mean it.

Was a Critical Care Medic for 11 years. Done now. may go into respiratory therpay. Pays 3x and better hours.

But yeah, the squads are well lit. I'd take the new guys out to a deserted parking lot and take them in the back.... errr... Take them to a deserted parking lot and show them how the lights all worked. But because we could never get to a remote enough location, it was difficult to play with the siren without disturbing anybody.

So... we'd get going on a call and He'd be trying to figure out to work the siren while driving. Little scary.

I will say though I have gotten a squad on two wheels a few times, blown my fair share of engine blocks, jumped more than a few times.

We were recently taking a driving course, and the instructor asked what us veterans would tell a new guy.

My immediate response was "If you can get all four off the ground at the same time, I'm buying dinner"