Driving to Endanger???
There are a number of new readers who may or may not know that we offer to publish your own views on a variety of subjects and one of our regular readers has shared some thoughts about driving and responding.
These thoughts are shared below.
December 4, 2003
Hi Pete
If you saw the news on Wednesday there was a big fire here in Town. A JUNK yard fire.
Something happened and it made me think about FF. safety and I felt the need to write. I
would ask that you publish it in your web site if you feel that is appropriate. You know with
me there is no pride in ownership. So here it is.
With the recent loss of a FF. in Ma it again brings to mind the issue of safety. I am a career
firefighter in a small town in RI. I began as a volunteer and got lucky enough to be hired full
time when an opening came up. When I first joined the fire service I felt the need to drive as
fast as possible to get to the scene to do my job. In one instance, while responding to a
nothing-medical call, I was involved in an auto accident and was nearly killed trying to do my
job. Luckily I wasn't injured, but my car was totaled. Myself and the other firefighter that
collided with me never made it to the call.
Recently I was out doing errands with my son and noticed a heavy column of black smoke. I
turned the fire radio in my car and listened to hear that there was a fire in a Junk Yard. It
was a bunch of JUNK cars. Not people, buildings, but JUNK cars. I continued to listen to the
call, and heard apparatus continue to get dispatched. I stopped to pick up a Christmas tree
at a local stand and one of the apparatus that was responding went by me with lights and
siren on and going like the world was on fire. Then another mutual aid piece was dispatched
and they were told to "Respond with caution." Respond with caution, just what does that
mean. I have heard that phrase time and time again and it makes me cringe.
I don't use it and feel that the term is inappropriate. How are we driving prior to anyone
arriving and doing a size up? What in hell are we doing prior to being told to respond with
caution?? Driving like idiots? Diving people off the road to get to where we want to be?
Disobeying any and all traffic laws? Speeding like it's a NASCAR race? Do we have to ruin
our apparatus or worse yet someone's life before we get it in our heads that we cannot drive
like the roads belong to us and no one else?
If I could change one thing it would be this. The terminology would read something like this.
Emergency response: which would mean red lights & headlights, but obeying all traffic laws
including speed.
Non-emergency response which would mean driving the apparatus WITHOUT red lights &
headlights on. At which point we would just be another vehicle on the road. Obligated to
obey any and all traffic laws.
Its time we slowed our selves down and drive as our life depends on it, because it does.