getting passed while running lghts and sirens?

Last night while enroute to a field fire we almost got passed on the highway by an 18 wheeler. Only until he got almost in front of me did he realize what we were. Guess the loud sirens, and brights flashing ligths were not enough to know?? Maybe he just needed to read the door of the fire engine to know?? Has this happened to anyone else? How did you handle it? I called dispatch and let em know but not sure if they got him or not.

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Permalink Reply by brittany (phire saint) on March 18, 2009 at 5:43pm

hmmm idk i kno the other day while we driving on the freeway and some truck cut of a fire truck and they almost got into a accident i kno out here in az its a big fine and possibly jail time but im not sure how to handle it

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on March 18, 2009 at 5:45pm

If you go to a call in the middle of nowhere on a major interstate, and can’t get over 70mph, almost everyone will pass you, and yes with lights and sirens. Now some of us have taken to driving in the middle of the road, but not sure if this is legal, oh-well.

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Permalink Reply by Chad Furr on March 18, 2009 at 5:49pm

LOL sounds like food for thought THanks

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Permalink Reply by Tim Brumbaugh on March 18, 2009 at 5:56pm

I don't think that its right It should not be that hard to see a fire truck with lights and sirens going. It doesn't matter if they are in an 18 wheeler or a bus If you see something coming with lights and sirens then you need to pull over and not try to out run them for one it is against the law....

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Permalink Reply by KOJOFF on March 18, 2009 at 5:57pm

I have tried the running the "middle" lane too, but I have been told that this is not legal. I just run in the left lane now if on a larger highway, and keep my eyes peeled for what is going on around me. Our brush trucks dont have much problem running highway speeds, but our tanker pumpers are goverened to 68. Some people just dont realize that there is an emergency vehicle there untill they are right on top of them. My stepdad used to do that, said that he had tunnel vision when he drove... he just couldnt see any thing on his perifial(sp) area.

Simple rule... Drive like they are all trying to kill us.

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Permalink Reply by Oldman on March 18, 2009 at 6:06pm

You cannot hear sirens when approaching from the rear.

You cannot drive the freeways of Houston without getting passed by everyone.

It's an unwritten law, that it's only illegal if you get caught.

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Permalink Reply by kyle on March 18, 2009 at 6:13pm

i got a good one going down the road (speed limit 45) on the way to a room and contents fire and a member from a neigbhoring(sp) department passes us as we are turning into the road almost t-boning us. last i heard he got a 6 month suspension

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Permalink Reply by Cody Baker on March 18, 2009 at 6:28pm

We have had this problem before. We were transporting a patient to the hospital when we got to an intersection and the truck side swiped the side of our Ambulance and caused 3,000 dollars worth of damage to it. The thing that sucked about it was that the truck was trying to get around us and said she didn't see the lights and didn't hear the sirens so she got fined for trying to pass an emergency vehicle... We just got the Ambulance 3 months earlier too.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on March 18, 2009 at 6:42pm

This happens very rarely in my area. We just radio diapatch with the vehicle description and plate number and the Police give them what they deserve! Stay safe!

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Permalink Reply by dj lee on March 18, 2009 at 6:52pm

I got passed while responding to a structure there were three of our firetrucks in a line responding and this guy tried to pass us. We called our state dispatch and told them and a few miles later there he was pulled over by one of our state troopers.

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Permalink Reply by Smoke Eater on March 18, 2009 at 7:06pm

Had this happen Sunday while enroute to a grass fire. We were in the tanker. The grass rig was in front of us. They pulled off of the county road onto the highway with no problem. We had to stop and wait on traffic and when my driver got a window he took it. Then some chick blows past us on her cell phone, gets about a car length in front of us and slams her brakes and pulls to the right. We just have to watch out for ourselves cause the other drivers don't care untill it's them that needs us.