The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Do You Drive by a Wreck and Don't Stop? Is That Right to Do?
I get kinda mad when i see a wreck but then i see firemen or vechiles with bluelights drive right pass so i want to get some feedback on this topic. Please send me your belief on this topics.
Jeremy Cheesman
Jeremy Cheesman
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Trainer on
-
Actually if you read what he posted and not what the responses are; they/his department is already on scene, by his quote “i see firemen or vechiles with bluelights drive right pass ”. No I won’t stop, that’s freelancing and a big time no-no.
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Owens on
-
You can call it stupid if you want but like I stated in my post I carry NO PPE to handle any type of incident....what if you get hurt who is gonna pay for it???? We are trained to operate with PPE and BSI protection whenever we operate....why all of the sudden is it a good idea to stop on the side of the road with no reflective gear....no BSI protection....and no way to slove the problem....how many people have to die in POVs or get hit in the roadways in order to get that? If you dont think its alot go to firefighterclosecalls.com or firefighternearmiss.com in simply 5 mins the other day I came across hundreds of incidents like this.
The bottom line is people stop because they think they are gonna be a hero and save the day....and sometimes this does happen....but alot of the time they either get in the way or end up a case study in Billy Goldfeders LODD class.
-
Permalink Reply by Kathy Appleby on
-
I stop if there isnt anyone on scene or if i only see personnel but no apparatus. you are not obligated to stop in ny state but i do anyway because that is my nature. if i have my girls (ages 13,16,17) with me they also tell me to stop so that i may offer my assistance. i can ride with another department even though i am not a member because i am a NYS certified EMT-B. we are volunteers with a few paid medics that ride with the vollies on long island, ny.
-
-
i dont carry PPE on me yet by i will stop and help. i have been doing this for 22years. when i didny have my EMT i am also anER RN so i stop to help. you are covered under the good samaritan law if you dont have any certification and covered by NYS as long as you dont go above your scope of practice. yea u should have PPE but sometimes u dont. i learned to start IVs w/o gloves long time ago.
-
Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
-
Robert has valid points.
If you stop, you could be ADDING to a problem.
Treat it as if you have witnessed the incident.
If you saw it, stop. The cops will want your statement.
If you come upon an incident, identify yourself, offer assistance if you can do it safely, and stay until responders arrive.
If responders are already there and they LOOK short-handed, stop and offer assistance.
Otherwise, if you believe that "it could be one of your family", then you are basically saying to this department that you don't trust them to do the right things.
I think that it shows disrespect to other departments when someone shows up and wants to take over your scene.
TCSS.
Art
-
Permalink Reply by Avery Dale on
-
If I come up on an incident out of my area I will stop and do what I can if no one is there yet or if I hear a call and I am close I will go. If personnel are already onscene I may ask if any help is needed otherwise I keep going. As a firefighter/EMT I feel I have a duty to act and help anyway I can until more help arrives.
-
-
You have a MORAL obligation to act not a duty to act unless you are on duty....which I admit is defined different in different places, were I am from you have not duty to act unless you are at the station (volunteer) or on shift (career).
-
-
As a nurse and EMT then you of all people should know the value of PPE.....I/V's without gloves were acceptable 22 years ago but in todays time with all of the diseases it is simply an uneccesary risk.
Also with 22 years of service I cant belive you would let teenage girls influence your decision to render aide....that decision should be made based on you PPE level and you ability to effect or assist in a positive out come.....an unequiped firefighter/emt is just a well informed citizen in cases like this.
Im not saying I have never stopped to help but much like you do when you are on duty you have to perform a risk/benefit analysis and really ask yourself what is anyone gaining from you stopping....my vollie dept. has had a rule against POV response for 10 years and were doing ok....the only time you were allowed to stop at an incident is if it was between you and the firehouse, and if you wanted to stop you had to have an accountability tag and you ID in order to be identified properly and accounted for in the incident structure.
-
Permalink Reply by Alan on
-
I will stop to see if anybody needs assistance, and will direct traffic until the police arrives if needed. I have a vest in my van that I put on just to be sure that other motorists see me. Since we do not run blue lights unless we are a senior officer or chief engineer, I put my flashers on. I've actually had this happen a couple of times this year with the latest just this week.
-
Permalink Reply by Dewayne and Diana Bean on
-
Before I stopped I would radio it in to Central Dispatch to ensure the scene was safe and there was documentation. Central would advise me of the scene if it had not been called in. I would do what I could until I was released from scene. Again there may not always be a rescue trained personnel in the vehicle.
-
Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
-
Remember that some of the blue-lighted vehicles passing by without stopping may be driven by the spouse or SO/SE of a firefighter. Or it could be a FF who for emotional reasons doesn't "do" accidents any more.
I will stop if a) there is no one else on scene and b) if it is safe for me to do so. For instance, a crash on a busy expressway may not be accessible from the lane I'm in, so I will have to keep going with the flow or else cause another crash. Other than that scenario, I'll stop until the agency having jurisdiction shows up and takes control of the scene.
Of course if there is a crash and responders are already there I'll wave and smile as I pass by.
-
Permalink Reply by Bill Anderson on
-
Had a paid firefighter show up on an EMS call the other day. I was assessing the patient and this guy comes up and starts asking assessment questions. Asst. Chief tells him we have a paramedic(me) here, we can handle it. He hangs around until EMS arrives. By now I've started using a BVM on the patient and we load her into the ambulance. This guy climbs in the side door and starts critiqing the medic on his BVM tecnique, telling him "this is how we do it." Medic tells him he knows what he is doing and if he doesn't like it he can leave. Paid guy smarted off again and was told to get out of the box if that's the way he wants to act. He had the patient's meds in his pocket and left with them when he slammed the door and got out of the box. Found out later this guy has done this before.
If you do show up on someone else's scene just don't make a fool of yourself. Ask if you can help, don't interfere with patient care or other operations.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
