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Emergency Vehicle Permits
I'm a Voulunteer fireman from West Virginia and currently the state is trying to do away with the Emergency Vehicle Permits which would mean no running lights and sirens to station...I was just wondering how everyone else viewed this situation and what there thoughts were....I mean I havent been in the fire business but only a little over a year but I do know that if the pagers go off for an MVA with entrapment and theres multiple patients and the car is on fire theres no way a firefighter is going to be able to sit through traffic with a clear state of mind knowing that people are in that situation....Thanx
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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"I havent been in the fire business but only a little over a year but I do know..."
Dude, seriously, this is going to be hard to reason because it takes years to figure out that everyone is a lot better off not causing an additional incident trying to get to the fire station. Rushing to the station Code 3 is very minimally different with response times. And not enough for you to jeopardize yourself and others in the process.
I will ask that you consider my 38 years doing this gig and that it has taught me that it's better to arrive alive so others can survive. Hmmm... that's not a bad quote that came to mind. Remember, YOU did not cause the problem to begin with and it's important to not make things worse. When you have been around for a couple of decades, the obvious gets more and more obvious. Somethings are worth risking your life for and responding to a call is not high on my list personally...
Imagine having the responsibility of informing family members for deceased firefighters involved in a MVA responding to an incident. Post incident, common questions focused on why the firefighters didn't slow down and at least arrive alive... No call is worth dying for.
Life experience sucks sometimes Jeremiah. Learn from others.
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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I'm a guessing someone has a lot of money tied up in fancy flashin' en a blinkin' doodads and whachamacallits on theys veh hickle.
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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From a state that allowed volunteers to have blue non flashing response lights up to the 70s and then outlawed the use of lights on POV to everyone except chief officers, EMS and fire police officers, I think it comes from citizens who talk to their law makers about how they feel about the way the fire service acts. Someone may not like getting cut off by someone driving a vehicle with a flashing light or siren thats not a police car so they complain and the law maker acts.
I feel that the public today doesn't understand and don't want to be bothered by noises like house sirens and people speeding past them with lights and sirens.
Now I have a thing about the working soccer moms driving 50MPH in a 35MPH speed zone who would pass a responding emergency vehicle to get her kids to that soccer game and then complain they were caught by a speed camera.
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Wouldn't that be population control?
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Permalink Reply by John Sees on
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I have been a volly for 39 years. I used a blue light for about 2 years. I run with
2 companies, each is 3 miles from my home, I just turn right or left at the end of my
driveway. What I found out is that a blue light was more of a pain than a help, 98% of
the time I make it to the station in the same time without a blue light as I did with
one. I also figure that if I don't make the rigs than I'll be at the station to get
another piece out if needed. I would like to see the use of blue lights
stopped in my state. If someone has a blue light on and does something stupid on the
way to a call then it makes the fire service look bad. But if that same person does not
have a blue light and does the same stupid thing then that person is just another stupid person trying to get from point A to point B.
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Permalink Reply by James Burton (Jamie) on
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We have no POV lights and sirens in Minnesota, and everyone seems to get to the Firehouse just fine.
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Permalink Reply by Bobby D. Carr Jr on
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As a volunteer I also have recieved the alert from the state about the emergency vehicle permits.The state has only temporarily stoped makin permits for POV until the workmans comp issue has been settled or another option is worked out. I have been a volunteer for 30 years and both of my sons are also volunteers Both at here at Chapel and the youngest with Buckhannon WV while at college.The issue of red lites and siren have never been an issue if you train your members that even thou you have the right to use them if you abuse them the privalidge can be revoked . Junior or probie members are not allowed permits untill they proven themselves .It comes down to us to police ourselves and put a heavy hand on the ones who abuse this right. Thanks
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Salinger on
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over here we aren't allowed to put lights and sirens in our private vehicles unless they have been cleared for fireground use and even then they only use them when on the ground. Its better to arrive alive. We can only go as fast as our trucks take us which is no faster or slower with or with out the bells n whistles
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Permalink Reply by Cynthia Odom Pilgrim on
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Awesome point!
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Permalink Reply by Adam Gillis on
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Looks like duty crews at the station all of the time from now on
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Permalink Reply by Bob Callahan on
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If a firefighter can't sit and wait in traffic with a "clear state of mind" the last thing I want is for him to be driving any type of vehicle with red lights, including POVs.
The simple fact is red lights in POVs kill firefighters. Not every firefighter, but enough that many states have looked at it and noticed a problem.There are also VFDs in states that have red light privileges and decided on their own that the risks associated with red lights are simply not worth the very slightly increased response times.
I have been a volunteer for over 30 years, and I stopped running red lights more than 15 years ago because the risks simply were not worth the benefits. IMO red lights should be taken away and all volunteers should drive to the station at normal speed without the ability to violate traffic laws.
If we are truly concerned about firefighter safety, the numbers indicate that red lights are an issue, and they should be something, IMO, that disappears,.
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Permalink Reply by Jeremiah Britton Fultz on
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See I didn't know it was temporary, Yeah your right if they are abused they should be revoked no matter what ... If we get 2 reports then they revoke ours for some time the first report is like a warning... Thanx for the info and Good luck to you and your sons.
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