Posts
I have read so many different posts online in regards to the new federal law for the traffic safety vests for emergency responders. The federal law had a deadline of Nov. 24th, 2008. I have thought often about this law and I personally like this law. This is for the safety of all emergency responders.
I started my EMS career volunteering with the Erie Ambulance Service when I turned 18. I then started my Fire service career volunteering with the Colona Fire Department for one year and then the Erie Fire Department. With all of these departments I responded to numerous calls on interstates and have seen several of my brothers and sisters almost get struck by drivers driving by the scene. I have watched cars during the winter months slide past and or into the ditch when they finally realize that the flashing lights they are looking at are fire trucks and ambulances. I have witnessed a county sheriff step out in front of cars to stop them to yell at them for driving so fast past an emergency scene. That was just insane!!
One may ask, are these vests really going to keep us from getting hit?" Unfortunately I feel this answer is no! I think what they are trying to do is make the responders more visible than what we are now. If you get the chance take a look at this short video on www.respondersafety.com and see the comparisons of the responders that do not have vests on and the ones that do. It is amazing how much they stand out. I have read several posts that people state, "if they can not see the flashing lights and big red trucks do you think they will see us with the vests on?" My response to that is, they DO see the flashing lights and big red trucks, they are to busy looking at what happened and not paying enough attention to their driving. Another post I read was one complaining that it would take to long to put the vest on once they arrive at the scene. That it would delay their care to the victims. Come on people, why not put the vest on before you get to the scene? Ok, your seat belted in and didn't get it on before the truck left. Put it on as you are walking up to the scene. Some people do not like change and this is change. It will become natural after some time.
I feel this will not completely eliminate responders from being struck, but will decrease the number of responders struck and killed and decrease the number of close calls.
Stay safe and wear the vests!
Darin
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Darin,
Thanks for taking the time to blog your thoughts on the various emergency service topics.
I believe the traffic vests are a step in the right direction. I'm sure that most FFs and medics have a memory of a close call or two during their tenure. The vests do represent change, and with change comes resistance.
I also believe that limiting the number of responding personnel and the placement of apparatus are also very crucial in maintaining our safety on accident scenes. Too many times we respond with far more FFs than are necessary to effectively take care of an accident scene.
I wonder how long it will take for bunker gear manufacturers to start incorporating these high visibility color schemes into their equipement.
Scott Miner
Lieutenant / Training Officer
Erie Fire Department
Spoda, thanks for commenting.
I am sure everyone can recall a close call on the highways. I know I have a couple. You are totaly right that anytime you have change it is met with resistance. We are a few months into the new law and how are things now? Is it habit to wear the vests? Are the "guys" getting used to it? I know I have been by a couple wrecks and man do the responders stand out with the vests on.
I can remember responding on car wrecks on I-88 with the Erie Fire and EMS. We would pile in the engine and rescue and scream out to the wreck. All we wanted to do was to help those in need. We would have a single car roll over with the car down in the median and we would have an engine and resuce there with easily 10 FF there. I am in no means picking on Erie, I will bet all depts would respond the same. Am I saying it is wrong or that what we were doing was wrong? No, I am just saying that we are more aware of needing to make the scenes safer for our responders now days. You can respond with that many initially and as soon as you know that you are not going to need that many guys return them to the station. Do we need to stand by at the scene until the wrecker gets there? Maybe, maybe not. The longer you are near the roadway the more chances of something going wrong.
As for the gear manufactures incorporating the high visibility into the gear..... I think you will see it sometime, not in the next few years but I will bet it will come. Keep an eye on things in England, they are ahead of the US.
Post a Comment