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What situations warrant using sirens?

Miss Informed

Hey all,

Does anyone know what specific circumstances cause emergency services to use sirens? I'm particularly curious about the Gardaí, I always wonder when I see them on!

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POGAN

Miss Informed wrote: »

Hey all,

Does anyone know what specific circumstances cause emergency services to use sirens? I'm particularly curious about the Gardaí, I always wonder when I see them on!

Emergency call that requires a emergency response

ratracer

Miss Informed wrote: »

Hey all,

Does anyone know what specific circumstances cause emergency services to use sirens? I'm particularly curious about the Gardaí, I always wonder when I see them on!

If you needed any of the emergency services, what do you think would warrant them getting to you as quickly and safely as possible?

[Deleted User]

Miss Informed wrote: »

Hey all,

Does anyone know what specific circumstances cause emergency services to use sirens? I'm particularly curious about the Gardaí, I always wonder when I see them on!

The urgency of the situation they are dealing with. It's down to the driver to decide if they are warranted or not

MarkR

What if it was nearly lunchtime, and you were stuck in traffic?

[Deleted User]

You'll hear sirens and think something big is after happening.

But it might just be a response to some fisticuffs in a bar.

California Dreamer

MarkR wrote: »

What if it was nearly lunchtime, and you were stuck in traffic?

Ah bless, he tried to tell a funny!!! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Leo Demidov

If you ever need to get an ambulance to Nenagh, you'll have to use the siren.

Paulzx

MarkR wrote: »

What if it was nearly lunchtime, and you were stuck in traffic?

Never for lunchtime.

Now dinner................that's a different thing altogether.

RiderOnTheStorm

Just in case there is some confusion, its worth noting (in NAS anyway) that lights and sirens can be used separately. But whatever decision was made to turn on blues, then the siren should probably be on too. Lights and sirens should be used to alert other road users that you are there. It is a request for them to make allowances for you. It is not an order to get out of the way. Sirens should be switched off when not needed, eg an empty country road. Then switched on whenever approaching a junction or roundabout, etc. When in a town or city, this would probably mean siren on all the time. In this case, the siren wail should be changed whenever approaching a junction. This is because other drivers get used to sound of siren 'in the distance' and tune it out. The changing of tone alerts them to changing situation.

Oh, and if you see an ambulance (...for example ;-)...) going by on lights & sirens, and then a few minutes later they are in a shop drinking coffee . . . It doesn't mean that they were rushing to a break. Its very likely that they were stood down before they got to the scene (usually because an ambulance closer to the scene became available). So please don't have a go. They really dont turn them on for the craic. Drivers of ES vehicles may be exempt from (most) rules of the road, but we have managers that have their own set of rules, and that sh1t gets noticed (and reprimanded!)

Stay safe all ES guys & girls!

Schindlers Pissed

Almost correct, but no dice! We all use the sirens as and when needed, but of you look at the policy, the siren should be left on at all times (I know, total overkill).

I agree with the rest.

The older I get, the more I realise that in the vast majority of calls there is no need for lights and sirens....

donottroll

There are also times when you can use the lights/sirens for urgent but non emergency things.
Like a patient getting increasingly agitated or confused, and pulling at the seatbelts, or in some cases you have a relatively stable baby on board, but the nurse (and baby) is getting upset that they need their feed and are getting uncomfortable and you're 1 hours from the hospital so it's in the babies interest to not be sitting in rush hour traffic at 6pm.

Of course, once you clear the traffic you end up switching them off again.

Also while the policy and training says the sirens should be on all the time....sometimes the sirens can make a patient panic and freak out. Especially if they're already confused or perhaps have psychiatric issues.

Another misconception people have about ambulances is lights + sirens means that the ambulance wants to go over the speed limit. In nearly all cases, you do not want to break the speed limit with a patient on board.
Responding to a call is a different story.

Leo Demidov

donottroll wrote:

There are also times when you can use the lights/sirens for urgent but non emergency things. Like a patient getting increasingly agitated or confused, and pulling at the seatbelts, or in some cases you have a relatively stable baby on board, but the nurse (and baby) is getting upset that they need their feed and are getting uncomfortable and you're 1 hours from the hospital so it's in the babies interest to not be sitting in rush hour traffic at 6pm.

Do Not Troll!
I take it you're not a professional ambulance driver?

donottroll

Leo Demidov wrote: »

Do Not Troll!
I take it you're not a professional ambulance driver?

What makes you think that?

Leo Demidov

donottroll wrote:

What makes you think that?

The content of your post. It reads like it was written by a private emt who does taxi runs on blues. Your blue light policy just seems a bit too discretionary.

donottroll

Leo Demidov wrote: »

The content of your post. It reads like it was written by a private emt who does taxi runs on blues. Your blue light policy just seems a bit too discretionary.

Quite disrespectful. Are private EMT's no professional ambulance drivers?
Also the use blue lights in general are discretionary.

Let me reword the scenarios.

You're tasked to somebody experiencing either a mental health crisis or maybe even an elderly person who is suffering with a UTI and new onset of confusion. You get there, and after your assessment you manage to coax them into the ambulance with some difficulty.
You have a 45 minute transport time to the hospital.

En route, the patient becomes increasingly agitated. They keep trying to remove their seatbelt and get off the stretcher. You stop the vehicle, and try reassure and calm them. This works momentarily, but as the vehicle moves off again they continue becoming increasingly agitated and confused. They risk falling off the stretcher, and it's very difficult to calm them down.
As you approach the city, traffic is gridlock and you might be 30 minutes bumper to bumper. Your patient is vitally stable, but is kicking off and you have to get out of your own seat to try keep them safe. You'd like to get them to hospital in a timely manner. So you ask if the driver could jump the queues but take it handy. Blue lights come on.

Scenario two.

You're tasked to pick up a 2 week old premature baby in an incubator for transfer from Cork to Dublin for review in Crumlin. You pick up the pt and nurse and off you go. 3 hours later you arrive in Dublin and the baby is reviewed by the consultant while you spend an hour or more waiting around.

On the return journey, the baby starts to cry. No major issue. But 2 hours into the journey the baby is increasingly upset and is now wailing and it's difficult to comfort them. The SCBU nurse informs you that it will be due a feed and meds very soon and we're running behind schedule.
You've been with the pt for the guts of 6 hours now.
As you approach the city traffic is again gridloc at rush hour.

The nurse is concerned, the baby is stressed, and she asks how long this is going to take? Some times the nurse might even ask can you use the lights. Other times you might take the initative yourself.

I'm not saying ambulances do these things all the time. I'm just saying, there are many scenario's where the use of blues in non emergency situations can be utilised as long as it's safe.

Leo Demidov

Follow your training and you won't go wrong.

Schindlers Pissed

I'm with Donotroll here......inform your control that things have escalated and that you need to make decisions. Life isn't black and white.

easygoing1982

donottroll wrote: »

Quite disrespectful. Are private EMT's no professional ambulance drivers?
.

TBH I think alot of them think they are alot more inferior than they are. Especially EMTs from a specific company based in North East Kildare.

risteard7

Dublin Fire brigade (ambulance) are notorious for putting on the blue lights constantly just to skip the traffic even when they aren't on a call.

It's actually very dangerous, it puts road users under unwanted pressure to panic and try & move out of the way. It may lead to an accident one day.

It's well known in medical circles that they do this. It's so frustrating. Going back to the depot for a coffee does not warrant blue lights.

punisher5112

risteard7 wrote: »

Dublin Fire brigade (ambulance) are notorious for putting on the blue lights constantly just to skip the traffic even when they aren't on a call.

It's actually very dangerous, it puts road users under unwanted pressure to panic and try & move out of the way. It may lead to an accident one day.

It's well known in medical circles that they do this. It's so frustrating. Going back to the depot for a coffee does not warrant blue lights.

How do you know this?

I've seen where ambulance or fire have raced down a road to only be coming back a minute or two later as they were stood down, this happens quite often, if they have a patient on board but are nervous or just doesn't warrant using a siren as steady movement is needed especially if spinal or such.....

I'm on the road for work and all around the city and I don't see this carry on.... Maybe it does happen and maybe it doesn't but I can say I don't see it going on like you make it out to be.

These men and women do a wonderful service and I really wouldn't see the outrage anyway unless they're driving dangerous.

Respect and regards to all those in service.

Paulzx

punisher5112 wrote: »

I'm on the road for work and all around the city and I don't see this carry on.... Maybe it does happen and maybe it doesn't but I can say I don't see it going on

That's because it doesn't happen. The previous poster is talking through his hole while mixing in his "medical circles"

In over 20 years service I've never seen or been in a vehicle that was on blues in order to get back to the "depot" (whatever the F'%k that is) to go for coffee.

source

Paulzx wrote: »

That's because it doesn't happen. The previous poster is talking through his hole while mixing in his "medical circles"

In over 20 years service I've never seen or been in a vehicle that was on blues in order to get back to the "depot" (whatever the F'%k that is) to go for coffee.

As I said before on a different thread, nobody on the road knows what is happening in a patrol car or ambulance apart from the occupants and the controller.I've been in many situations where I got a stand down order due to numbers on scene or in one case ordered to return to ensure we still had a car patrolling the area. Bells and whistles off and return to normal driving.

Why some people have to read conspiracy theories into this I don't know. The paperwork and bollocking involved if you got into a tip with the lights and sirens on when you weren't attending a call doesn't bear thinking about.

risteard7

Paulzx wrote: »

That's because it doesn't happen. The previous poster is talking through his hole while mixing in his "medical circles"

In over 20 years service I've never seen or been in a vehicle that was on blues in order to get back to the "depot" (whatever the F'%k that is) to go for coffee.

Well you are wrong it does happen but believe whatever you want. HSE paramedics dont do it but DFB are well known for it. You obviously dont know but anyway

[Deleted User]

risteard7 wrote: »

Well you are wrong it does happen but believe whatever you want. HSE paramedics dont do it but DFB are well known for it. You obviously dont know but anyway

I'm sure if anyone was to know it would be a 20 year veteran of DFB.

I will also say as someone City centre based, stationed near a DFB station I've never noticed them driving back to base on blues.

Paulzx

risteard7 wrote: »

Well you are wrong it does happen but believe whatever you want. HSE paramedics dont do it but DFB are well known for it. You obviously dont know but anyway

Just for clarity I'll repeat my previous comment on this

You are still talking through your hole.

For the Mods........what i have just said is not abuse aimed at the poster. Sometimes nonsense needs a direct unambiguous reply

easygoing1982

risteard7 wrote: »

Well you are wrong it does happen but believe whatever you want. HSE paramedics dont do it but DFB are well known for it. You obviously dont know but anyway

In fairness you are wrong but there is massive differentials between the 2 services. DFB travel to all calls on lights and sirens and likewise travel to hospital 99.99% of the time regardless if its a paper cut or cardiac arrest where as NAS paramedics don't seem to be as keen to draw attention to themselves if there's no need.

Another difference is DFB will always leave their lights on whilst at the ED for whatever reason where as NAS don't

Liamalone

risteard7 wrote: »

Well you are wrong it does happen but believe whatever you want. HSE paramedics dont do it but DFB are well known for it. You obviously dont know but anyway

Sounds like one of those myths that gain traction with gullible folk or peddled by those that were unable to get into the job.
As stated before, wouldn't be worth the world of pain that would come the crew's way if reported or if they got in a prang.
Blues and sirens should be used to alert and encourage traffic to let you through, not to intimidate your way through. Also the sirens reassure casualties that help is not far away.

[Deleted User]

One thing that confuses me, is the amount of ambulances that use blues on the motorway when the motorway is quiet.

I can understand using them on 'quiet stretches' as you'll bump into a load of traffic sooner or later, depending where you are, but I don't understand the purpose of a load of blue and whites coming down the opposite side of the M1 at 2am when the place is practically abandoned.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

One thing that confuses me, is the amount of ambulances that use blues on the motorway when the motorway is quiet.

I can understand using them on 'quiet stretches' as you'll bump into a load of traffic sooner or later, depending where you are, but I don't understand the purpose of a load of blue and whites coming down the opposite side of the M1 at 2am when the place is practically abandoned.

Speed cameras, broken down vehicles, stopped vehicles, vehicles ahead in the distance.

stretch00

[Deleted User] wrote: »

One thing that confuses me, is the amount of ambulances that use blues on the motorway when the motorway is quiet.

I can understand using them on 'quiet stretches' as you'll bump into a load of traffic sooner or later, depending where you are, but I don't understand the purpose of a load of blue and whites coming down the opposite side of the M1 at 2am when the place is practically abandoned.

If you know who AVA is, you’ll understand the blue lights.