Public Service Announcement: (How You Should React When Emergency Vehicles Are Behind You) Hello Friends, I am your friendly neighborhood EMT and I am asking your help in spreading the word of the medic to your friends, family, co-workers, etc... There are a few rules when encountering an emergency vehicle behind you. 1. PLEASE do NOT stop in the very lane that we are driving in, in rush hour traffic, expecting us to figure it out. Move to the right! 2. When one lane of traffic goes one way and the other lane goes the other, ONLY separated by white lines and reflectors, DO NOT, and I repeat DO NOT GO LEFT to get out of our way. That means you are going into oncoming traffic. We are driving to save a life and dont need you losing yours. 3. If an ambulance is driving in the middle of two lanes, no we are not drunk. All that means is we are trying to be Moses and part the Red Sea. Find an open spot and get there. 4. We dont always drive in the left lane. Sometimes, its important for us to be in the middle lane because we are close to our exit and we just cant zoom from the left all the way to the right at the last minute. Remember, theres always people in back of that big box standing up, doing CPR, starting IVs, or even doing paperwork. If it seems like we are following you because we move right when you do, MOVE LEFT! I swear we wont bother you anymore. And 5. When we magically appear behind you at a red light, USE CAUTION, before you decide to accelerate. If you dont think its safe, dont move. Your life comes before anyone elses life. That being said, if you see an out, TAKE IT! Its really not that hard to sneak to the right and make a u-turn or take a left and drive that route all over again. Be careful and be aware! Unless youve been in the back of an ambulance, you wont know what happens back there. Working in the back of a moving unit is not only dangerous, but it could be deadly if the driver is faced with an impossible situation because of other vehicles on the road. One tap of the brakes has us reaching for the bar up top. One swerve to the left sends us flying into the bench seat. And all it takes is for one person not to be paying attention and slam in to the back or side of the ambulance, killing everyone involved. We also carry big Oxygen tanks and a few small ones. I dont have to explain to you that those can go boom in a heartbeat. Be safe and move out of the way. Driving lights and sirens isnt always fun, sometimes it is, but most of the time we have a serious call to get to, and your cooperation is appreciated. You could actually help us save a life. Dont be an idiot!
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 06:28:37 +0000
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