What you guys do when an ambulance passes you code 3?

[strippel]

Only a few times.

It is very dangerous, and gets worse with more traffic.

Once and a while, an ambulance or police cruiser will run interference near the hospital. The ER is located on a side street of a major one way road. If the one way road can be safely blocked...

We have to be careful. Frequently, the cruisers are responding with us, and are either just ahead, or just behind us. If the call is more police then EMS, we will shut off the lights and sirens, and them vice-versa. Stealth mode.

[AnthonyM83]

Same thoughts as yours, except that I have never seen "a lot" of ambulances do this. Maybe twice in thirty years.

Must be a California thing.

I think it's also partially a "this is a new ambulance company and most EMTs have less than 6mo experience, and few more than 8mo 911 experience, b/c the company won the 911 contract just 9 or so months ago. It's a free for all on a lot of procedures and will probably be so for years as more incidents happen and more rules are made.

l just sit there until it goes green then run amongst the normal traffic. In low to no traffic we go nuts, speed, run red lights ect…

Although I can’t say I’ve ever had the police block off traffic for us.

I've tried doing that at times, because really it was the safer option instead of opposing traffic, and was talked to by the FD medic truck following behind afterwards. I actually have one radio the FFmedic in the back to tell him to tell me to speed up and use the siren (even though I had green lights for miles and great traffic flow...after I hit the siren, cars started doing the whole crazy stop in their tracks and block me routine...and the medic didn't get as smooth a ride).

Edit: It surprised me when I moved down here, but in Los Angeles, roads are SO congested, you never get cars to pull over for you when approaching an intersection. You pretty much always have to oppose oncoming traffic. With 3 - 4 lane streets and all lanes packed, there's not much place for cars to go. And there's ambulances flying by so often, drivers would probably be flipping out if you forced them to scatter all to the right to make a way for you. So, even ambulances don't really pull over when waiting at intersections...b/c you'd be the only one and would screw up traffic for the next light cycle...that's if you were even able to pull to the right any further.

[emsbrian]

I agree with akflightmedic I don't teach EVOC but my partner at my company does, and as as an over all matter we need to be more professional in EMS. Using your lights or siren any time other then when crucial is unsafe and dangerous. A polite wave is good, anything you think a woo-woo might do, should be avoided.

[8151]

If it's a fire truck (engine) I block them to make it as difficult as possible.

[8151]

If it's a fire truck (engine) I block them to make it as difficult as possible.

[emtd29]

Simple. Stay out of their way and let them pass.

[NREMT-Basic]

Actually in my city, we are sort of unofficially trying out the "stop and stay where you are and I will let you know if you need to move" strategy. All ambulance and PD vehicles have had the "curb right for sirens and lights" signs taken off of them. During my clinicals, I found that it often helped if people just stopped. At least then we can sort of see a pattern that we might be able to get through. Obviously stopping right in front of me or boxing me in is a no no. Oh and if youre in the right turn lane and it looks like that my be my route of travel, safely go on through and dont sit there. This has happened to me many times which is why one of my medic partners almost never uses turn lanes. A good way to get trapped. With a few exceptions if we are running hot (which we do to all calls, largely because we get "man down" or unknown pain calls) this particular partner will get himself into the intersection and make a wide looping turn to the right. He is an EVOC instructor and one of the few that I feel completely comfortable with. I dont have to reach for the OH Shite! handles at all. I have complete confidence that he will get us where we need to go expeditiously and safely, so I just sit back, call out traffic, move them with the PA if necessary and enjoy the ride.

[JPINFV]

this particular partner will get himself into the intersection and make a wide looping turn to the right.

Isn't this how right turns are supposed to be made when driving lights and sirens for the explicit reason that people are supposed to be pulling to the right?

[NREMT-Basic]

Im sure your right. It would appear that I have attributed an accepted maneuver and attributed to the partner I am used to. Thanks for enlightening me.

[Sassafras]

While we are talking about this, I will mention a similar pet peeve of mine. I have slapped many of partners hands as they reach for the lights while driving merely to say "hello" to a passing ambulance. This annoys the crud out of me. Yes, you are two ambulances, passing each other but why must you flick the lights or toot the siren? Just a friendly wave will suffice and if the other party happens to not notice you, oh well.

Sorry for bumping an old thread but I don't come around too much these days. I just HAD to agree with this. That annoys the p!$$ out of me. And I hate when I can't stop them from doing it in time. Yes, you're a colleague. Yes, you have an ambulance just like mine. Yes it flashes perty red lights. But must you be a nimrod and turn them on just to say "hey"? Just wave at me for crying out loud. :roll: