Lights and sirens

[butterfly]

some people in my department think they need to use them all the time i dont agree. i dont think all calls need them. if you have a pt with a non emergant illness i dont think they are needed. another question i have is when doing a transport from one hospital to another do you use them

[Katiebug]

I use lights and sirens as little as possible. If your pt is stable, why are they jeapordizing everyone's safety by running emergency?

As far as hospital to hospital txfrs go, the pt is generally not discharged from the originating hospital unless they are stable. I said generally.

Running hot is for emergency situations. Doing it just to do it is assinine and dangerous.

Edited April 9, 2009 by Katiebug

[robert gift]

As a fire department safety instructor, I heard complaints from so many people sick and tired of hearing sirens.

What percent of responses really justified emergent travel?

An ambulance sevice for which I once worked simply asked callers if lights and siren were needed.

I never got a good answer from fire dispatch why they could not just ask the same question.

So, too often, fire and EMS is dispatched emergent to a cut toe or something just as ridiculous.

At least EMS can decide at the scene if the pt needs transport and the urgency.

When we did transport emergent, we used the siren as litttle as possible to lessen stress on the patient and needless annoyance and noise pollution.

In China, my wife say they ask.

Only ambulance go to medical call.

No fire tluck.

In England, they do live, fake, emergency runs, just for practice.

How stupid.

Edited April 9, 2009 by robert gift

[tskstorm]

Do you know why lights and sirens should be used more often then not when the way to a call ?

Because I cant tell you how many times we get dispatched to the 90 year old that's 19 ... or 7 year old that's 70 years old or the cat scratch that was an officer cut up by a bobcat, or the leg pain that was a cardiac arrest.

Truth is people(dispatchers/call takers) make mistakes and we don't know what we have until we get there, after we have seen the patient we can make our own decisions about light's and siren usage.

[robert gift]

... I cant tell you how many times we get dispatched to the 90 year old that's 19 ... or 7 year old that's 70 years old or the cat scratch that was an officer cut up by a bobcat, or the leg pain that was a cardiac arrest.

Truth is people(dispatchers/call takers) make mistakes and we don't know what we have until we get there, after we have seen the patient we can make our own decisions about light's and siren usage.

That is why YOU ASK if lights and siren are needed.

If you, the dispatcher, are unsure the nature of the call, like it IS a cat scratch, the the caller will tell you "No".

How many vehicle collisions have occured responding to BS calls?

Edited April 9, 2009 by robert gift

[Kiwiology]

Lights are quite common here but the siren is not used a lot; generally only to clear traffic.

[Ridryder 911]

There are very few events that are time sensitive. In reality lights and sirens have not be proven to save time if so very little (that is if the they proceeded safely). Return in emergency status is very limited as well, again for time sensitive injuries and illnesses. Hence the reason you are supposed to have a medical professional in the back providing medical care, one should not have to respond back in emergency status.

Running in emergency status increases risks and jeopardizes all.

R/r 911

[Lone Star]

Lights and sirens are NOT neeeded on every call.

Interfacility transfers do NOT all need to 'run hot'.

Transporting a patient (regardless of condition) by 'running hot' is dangerous, and in most cases unnecessary. EMS is bad for overusing lights and sirens.

Remember, by the time you get the call, the 'emergency' is usually over, and the 10 seconds you've saved in response time isn't going to do much for your patient.

Everytime you 'run hot' with a non-critical patient, you put yourself, your partner and the patient at unnecessary risk. If you're involved in an accident while operating lights and siren, you're automatically 'at fault'.

Save the lights and sirens for the patients whose codition warrants emergency transport!

[rock_shoes]

When responding to calls I go out however I'm dispatched. Dispatch should have a far better understanding of patient accuity than I at that point. When actually transporting a patient it's my call. I only ever run emergently from a scene if quicker delivery to a higher level of care can make a legitamate difference to patient outcome. "Running hot" all the time regardless is negligent and puts you, your partner, your patient, and the public at undue risk.

[scoobymedic96]

some people in my department think they need to use them all the time i dont agree. i dont think all calls need them. if you have a pt with a non emergant illness i dont think they are needed. another question i have is when doing a transport from one hospital to another do you use them

We are required to respond to any call with lights and sirens but it is a medics choice on use when transporting to the hospital. If they are just a taxi ride then we don't use them but if it is more serious we use them. You asked about hospital to hospital and that also depends on the call. I have ran lights and sirens to and from before without a patient but was ordered to by the doctor since time was a concern....organ transport. I didn't feel it was necessary due to the fact it was 3am and no traffic and the airport was very close to the hospital but that wasn't my choice and there really wasn't a benefit to using them.