driving in the breakdown lane

[Niftymedi911]

Speeding like that can kill someone, that was not warranted. Going over curbs and in other lanes, hell even into on coming traffic down here is normal. The roads and people down here are that bad I kid you not. I'll probably catch heck for that. Anyway, running to Admin with your complaint was not the thing to do. See here is where I'm frustrated over. Our partner has my back and I have my partner's back right? Wrong. I cannot count how many people nowadays are just in it for themselelves. And this is one instance. You need to review your chain of command there, and rethink your complaint. Yes he operated unsafe, but you just don't go running to Admin and being a tattle-tell.

[Dustdevil]

Anyway, running to Admin with your complaint was not the thing to do. See here is where I'm frustrated over. Our partner has my back and I have my partner's back right? Wrong. I cannot count how many people nowadays are just in it for themselelves. And this is one instance. You need to review your chain of command there, and rethink your complaint. Yes he operated unsafe, but you just don't go running to Admin and being a tattle-tell.

Not one single portion of that entire post made a bit of sense.

Can you break it down for us? :?

[sledogg1]

What a nutjob.................................he must be burnt out. He's a danger to the public and to you. He needs a serious refresher course and a repimand.

[donedeal]

I work per diem at this job about once every week or two. Therefore I have a new partner every shift. So to give some perspective, there really is no loyalty between partners because it is not a consistent situation. This person has been reprimanded before for inappropriate use of L & S and management is building a case against him to have him removed from duty. My decision was one more step to get an unsafe driver off the road for your and my safety. Why should I risk my life by getting in the truck again with some joe blow I just met. In fact, I did follow chain of command, by first telling him I did not think this was safe and he responded, "its fine!". Who's the next person in line? The daily field opts commander.

[donedeal]

And he is not burnt out, he is a 19 year old driver hired without an EMT liscense about a month ago.

[JPINFV]

And he is not burnt out, he is a 19 year old driver hired without an EMT liscense about a month ago.

Remind me not to visit Florida. Why do I get the feeling that the only reason he is working on an ambulance is so he can play with the L/S?

[donedeal]

Because you are exactly right my friend. He has been caught with the lights on without sirens when the EMT was in the back (unaware of driver's use of lights) during routine interfacillity or appointment trips.

[Richard B the EMT]

He has been caught with the lights on without sirens when the EMT was in the back (unaware of driver's use of lights) during routine interfacillity or appointment trips.

Check your local protocols before responding to me with this contribution.

Unless the patient is a critical transfer, why are the L&S even in use? As for lights without the siren, that would depend on the patient's condition, while enroute from the street scene or the patient's location to the ED.

Never, no let me emphasize, NEVER would I use siren without the lights, they lights make it easier for the drivers, who have no idea an emergency vehicle is operating within a hemisphere of them, to spot them. They just look around, confused, when they see no lights but hear a siren, even, or especially when, you are 10 foot off their rear bumper.

Sidenote: Some child on a city bus was driving me crazy the other day, when I was going home. Seems he was playing some PS3 or gameboy electronic toy, with the sound effect of a siren, and I damn near twisted my head off looking around for an approaching emergency vehicle. It wasn't until he shut it down at his stop that I realized that I had been "had".

[Dustdevil]

The whole picture just changed.

This is NOT a problem with your partner.

This is a problem with your employer. They suck. Run.

[LasVegasEMTI]

Is it legal/acceptable to drive code 3 in the breakdown lane on the highway? I had a partner last week who drove code 3 down the rightside breakdown lane of I-95 for about 2 miles at approx. 60 miles an hour to a call. It did not feel safe and I questioned his reasoning and was told it was fine! Later off the highway I knew he was unsafe when he hopped a curb to bypass some cars. I've since requested to never work with him again. Am i over reacting? Is this common practice to drive in the breakdown lane?

Not that what I have to say means much, nor do I represent my employer in any of my statements...

Here in the metro LV area, hopping curbs and opposing traffic is a necessity. You try getting from Flamingo & Eastern to Ceasar's Palace on a Saturday night with multiple conventions, NBA All-Star weekend and your usual weekend travellers during rush hour (which I think we have like 3 or 4 of those lol)... you might as well just not respond if you're going to stay on the right side of the road the whole time! We have time demands from our County, and although it is our responsibility to put forth effort in making times, we have no reprimanding as a crew, only the company has to pay the fines.

As for driving in the breakdown...

I am adamant about staying left. I will sit behind cars and wait for them to move to the right even if the two lanes to their right are wide open. Its their job to go right, its my job to stay left. With that being said, the highways can pose a tricky situation, especially when traffic is backed up (as it often is here). If I do go into the breakdown lane, it is at a speed much less than the speed limit, and my lights & sirens are turned off. That is my preference, others take different positions on that.

This is all responding to calls. If it is a code 3 return back to the hospital (which we really don't do all that often), I will not jump curbs, I will barely break the speed limit... my L&S simply become my tool to get through traffic lights and hopefully advise people that we're coming. With medical calls, I often go even below the speed limit as much can be done by us prehospitally and a smooth ride is necessary. If its a massive multi-system trauma, we try to get all interventions done asap and get to the hospital quickly... only bright lights and shiny knives will save them.

As I said, all these statements are mine and mine alone.