Lights/Sirens on Freeways?

[AnthonyM83]

The California Highway Patrol suggests not using lights/sirens on the freeway. In response our new ambulance company is not running any lights/sirens on the freeway, even if responding to emergency call on the freeway, and even if traffic is backed up.

The only way to go code on the freeway is if FD is in front of you going code 3 or you'reactually within sight of the accident/call and you're working through traffic to get to it.

So, if you're going to a city call and decide to use the freeway and it's backed up, "you shouldn't have used the freeway". You go regular, get off at next exit, then continue code or don't use freeway to get to the call. OR if the call is actually on the freeway, you can't activate emergency equipment until you have a visual of the accident. Including secondary/rear lights.

How do you guys work the congested freeways?

[akflightmedic]

My service area used to include a long section of the FL Turnpike and I-95.

When responding to a call, we did not use lights or sirens as it actually backed up traffic flow. Most cars go faster than we do on the freeways so there was no point in us running them. Even the FD shut off lights and sirens and we travelled with the traffic flow until such time where it slowed down. Once we got with a mile or two of the reported mile marker, we would then turn them on so everyone would be aware that we were slowing down and approaching/looking for a crash.

Now if we got on and traffic was already slowed and backing up, then we would use them to cut traffic to get to the scene.

[JPINFV]

The only time I'll use lights on the freeway is if I'm on the shoulder making my way through traffic or can actually see the accident (i.e. trying to merge lanes to get around it so that I can get in the traffic shadow behind it.

Otherwise lights are useless, especially in Southern California. The last thing I want is people trying to get out of my way with traffic going 70-80 mph (more so in LA county where they think that the 5 freeway should be 3 lanes.... :roll: You can always tell when you leave Orange county and enter LA, the freeway drops 2 lanes and you hit traffic. )

When traveling on the shoulder, I normally have the secondaries on. It's more of a "Don't follow me" then anything else because I have had cars try to merge in front of me when everything was on trying to get out of my way.

[strippel]

I have seen where it is better to not use lights and siren on divided highways.

Now, that said, we don't have that many miles of them. Usually, we are trying to get to an incident on the highway, or are only going 1-2 exits.

If we are doing an emergent inter-facility transport (big hospital to bigger hospital, but doesn't warrant a flight), it's not worth using them on the highway.

[Timmy]

Do you guys have something like this?

http://www.emergalert.com.au

[akflightmedic]

Nice device Timmy, may be useful in a city evironment, but on the freeway I forgot to mention that our trucks have governors. The fastest we can go is 72mph which is plenty actually. Since the speed on these roads is 65-70mph, and most people do 5-10 mph over the posted limit, telling them to get out of the way is pointless when they can just smoke ya....lol.

[hfdff422]

We actually can outrun normal traffic, so we do use it in the cases where we run emergent. We just try to avoid running emergent, as it rarely gains enough advantage to justify the risks. In fact, Thanksgiving day we had a run where we did run emergent to the hospital down I-70 @ 90 mph, but that was only the 5th time I have gone emergent all the way to the hosptial.

[JPINFV]

We actually can outrun normal traffic, so we do use it in the cases where we run emergent. We just try to avoid running emergent, as it rarely gains enough advantage to justify the risks. In fact, Thanksgiving day we had a run where we did run emergent to the hospital down I-70 @ 90 mph, but that was only the 5th time I have gone emergent all the way to the hosptial.

The question of course is, does the traffic ahead of you have enough time to see you and pull over while you approach them at upwards of 20 mph, and is traffic dense and slow enough where you actually need to use the lights.

[hfdff422]

The answer is no, so due regard must be used. But, if you are exceeding the normal flow of traffic's rate of speed, then you need to use all available warning devices. But the sirens do little to gain motorists attention on the freeway. I am basing my answer on our State's law though.

[Asysin2leads]

The police aren't going to be held responsible if your response is delayed., and your company will hang you out to dry if it comes down on you. Go with your local ordinances when it comes to responding to calls. If the police or your company have a problem with that, refer them to the appropriate codes. Until there is a specific law stating emergency ambulances shall not use warning devices on freeways, do what you have to to get to your call, because that is what it is going to come down to in court.