Problems with On-Street Parking

I am the Safety Officer for a small suburban volunteer fire department. Our service area includes many subdivisions of newer homes on cul-de-sac type roadways.

We recently had a call for an unresponsive female to one of these areas and were not able to get any equipment to the scene because of cars parked on both sides of the street due to neighborhood parties that weekend. One of our county squads was able to make it there after creeping through the cars.

This incident caused quite an argument between the residents and our Chief this week at a township meeting. The chief wants no parking signs posted to ensure safety, the residents want curbside parking.

The streets are curbed and about 20’ wide. NFPA states roadways are to have 24’ of clearance. Our state law states 20’ clearance.

My question is this: Has anyone else had this type of problem, and if so what have you done to solve it?

Thanks for your help,
Doug

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Permalink Reply by Douglas Crowell, Jr. on October 9, 2009 at 9:11pm

As a last resort, you gotta do what you gotta do to get the job done. I just want to make sure everybody understands the consequences before we have the emergency. (Which we will someday!)

P.S. have you had to do this? I am curious what the cheif had to say about it.

Thanks
Doug

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Crowell on October 10, 2009 at 5:32pm

Home county, but I too like the push bumber too!

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Permalink Reply by Doug on October 12, 2009 at 7:18pm

Hahaha, ya, I liked the tearing up the yard suggestion too.

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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on October 14, 2009 at 1:49pm

Doug,

Most of the cul-de-sac's design's are subjected to approval by the AHJ. (authority holding jurisdiction) This ensures the ability to have the room for your apparatus in an emergency situation. Our policy is to ensure a easy turn for our longest apparatus with 0 issues. (this must be approved before-hand)

5.1.2 Means of access shall consist of roads, roadways, bridges, fire lanes, parking lots,
or a combination thereof, and shall be provided to all buildings more than 400 ft2 (37 m2)
in ground floor area and to public occupancies with structural components.
5.1.3* The length of any cul-de-sac shall not exceed the fire-fighting capability of the
fire department.
5.1.4* A cul-de-sac exceeding 1200 ft (366 m) in length shall be provided with approved
intermediate turnarounds at a maximum of 1200 ft (366 m) intervals.
NFPA 1141 http://dnrc.mt.gov/forestry/Fire/Prevention/documents/WUIrewrite/NF...

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Permalink Reply by Douglas Crowell, Jr. on October 17, 2009 at 7:32pm

Thanks for the link! I passed it on to my Chief.

Doug

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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on October 17, 2009 at 8:47pm

Living in a rural area, we don't have the problem of narrow streets. Our main parking issue is POV's parking as close to the incident as they can to be the first there. Understandable that they wanna get there as fast as they can, but need to understand that there are more important vehicles arriving shortly. We have brought this issue up in meetings and now, unless the driveway is waaayyyy long, the only vehicles in the driveway better have lights on the roof,whether it.s EMS, FF,or police. We all get along now.
And if it's an incident on the road, POV's will always give abundant distance for the bigger fore-mentioned important vehicles with lights and stuff.