Determining when to use lights and sirens
Category : Electronic
When you listen to that extended, loud whine from a siren, which emergency vechile comes to mind? Do you think fire emergency sirens, ambulance sirens or police sirens The theory that overuse of lights and sirens is growing in popularity. There have been quite a few studies done which conclude that a more restricted use of lights and sirens is vitalfor the security of emts, their passengers, fellow motorists and pedestrians. All dispactchers and motorists need to exercise caution when respond to (or sending others to respond to) an crisis.
Emergency responders are receiving much more negative publicity due to the increasing amount of accidents brought on by autos utilizing lights and sirens (occasionally referred to L&S). Often collisions occur with the unlucky bystanders during a high-speed police chase. Other times it’s the driver of an ambulance or fire truck in a hurry to help who passes through a red-light and causes the accident. Of course, other instances, the fault may be of other drivers on the road who just aren’t paying enough attention.
In a 1995 study, researchers concluded that transport time from the scene to the hospital in a small city was only 43.5 seconds faster with lights and sirens than without. That time may appear significant but according to the study, there is practically nothing that the Emergency Room personnel can do with that extra 43.5 seconds to improve the patient’s outcome.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t a particular time and place for L&S transport. Lights and sirens should be employed with discretion. The goal of lights and sirens are to alert the public and ultimately save lives so the protocols and guidelines when they are employed need to be reviewed and strictly adhered to. In a standard emergency medical circumstance, once a patient is evaluated, transport by an emergency automobile is initiated to transfer the patient to a medical center. Quite a few patients to whom EMS responds do not call for L&S transport. Some of them do not need additional medical treatment at all.
Some methods in which policies and procedures can be modified in order to generate greater use of L&S outfitted emergency automobiles.
- EMS dispatch agencies, including 911 operators and dispatchers should have an emergency dispatch priority technique. This system ought to be created with and approved by physicians and hospitals to ascertain which ask for for pre-hospital medical treatment involves the use of lights and sirens.
- Except for for suspected life-threatening and time-critical scenarios or scenarios involving several patients, L&S response by more than one (EV) is usually unnecessary. (Similiarly, the practice of returning to a station or quarters using L&S so as to “be in position” for the following call is considered unnecessary and irresponisble in most public-safety aware communities.)
- All agencies which manage EV must require their employees to attend education programs so that their vehicles are operated properly and protocols are comprehended.
Regardless of which emergency vehicle it is which is utilizing the sirens, discretion must be employed to ensure safety for everyone on the road. Regardless of which situation, something needs to be done to lower quantity of accidents. Afterall, isn’t the the whole purpose to help and save lives?