Emergency Vehicle Operations Unit I It Can’t Happen Here…..Can It?

1. Emergency Vehicle OperationsUnit IIt Can’t Happen Here…..Can It? Dave Denniston Loss Control Training Specialist

2. Emergency Vehicle Operations Unit 1 Objective:The apparatus operator will be able to describe and list the causes of emergency vehicle accidents.

3. Emergency Vehicle Operations Total LODD vs. Responding/Returning SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF LODD

4. USFA Report Motor vehicle collisions accounted for of all emergency related LODD’s 34%

5. Emergency Vehicle Operations Highlights from 2004 • Three (3) firefighters were killed when fire apparatus backed over them • Four (4) firefighters were killed in falls from fire department vehicles. • Seven (7) deaths involved the crash of the firefighter's personal vehicle

6. Occupational Fatality Rate Per 100,000 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

7. Line of Duty DeathBy Duty- 2006-2009 USFA

8. Arrive Safely…Save Lives Over 15,000 Fire Apparatus Accidents/Yr. 26% Increase Over 15 Years

9. Number of Fire Responses

10. Arrive Safely…Save Lives 2nd Leading Cause of LODD > 1,000 Firefighter Injuries/Yr.

11. Arrive Safely…Save Lives #1 Cause of Legal Actions Against Fire Departments

12. Arrive Safely…Save Lives #1 Cause of Criminal Actions Against Firefighters

13. Arrive Safely…Save Lives Matt Schumann, Fairfield, OH. Killed a 73 year old woman. Guilty of vehicular manslaughter. 90 days in jail, 2 yrs. Probation, $750 fine, license suspended, 250 hours community service

14. Arrive Safely…Save Lives Cory Carlton, Traverse City, MI. Killed a 28 year old woman and her 11 month old child. 2 counts of criminally negligent homicide. Lawsuit settled for over $2.2 Million ESIP

15. Fire Truck Kills Motorist

16. Why 25% per Year?

17. Emergency Vehicle Operations Intersection Accident Details Type of Response Warning Devices Percent • Emergency Lights/Siren 68 % • Emergency Lights Only 8 % • Emergency Neither 2 % • Emergency Unknown 1 %

18. Causes of Accidents Improper Backing • Accounts for large portion of all EV accidents. • Most Avoidable accident we have • Easiest to prevent

19. Causes of Accidents Urban/Suburban • Intersections • Racing • Inattention • Traffic Control Devices • Technology

20. Causes of Accidents Rural • Loss of Vehicle Control • Highway Design/Geometry • Speed • Apparatus Size

21. Causes of Accidents Tanker/Tender Accidents 1990-2001 • 38 Fatal Incidents • 31 Operators/11 Pass. • 25 wheels left the road • 21 Excessive Speed • Over Correction • No Seat Belts 31 of 42 deaths

22. Causes of Accidents A Different Animal • Weight • 1,000 Gals. = 4 Tons • Center of Gravity • Design • Surge • Operator Experience?

23. Causes of Accidents Additional Factors • Highway Geometry • Road Conditions • Level of Training

24. Causes of Accidents Special Considerations • Railroad Grade Crossings • Driver error

25. Causes of Accidents Limited Access Highways • Traffic Volume • High Speed • Traffic Control • Access

26. Merging & Lane Changing D Don't leave driviing to chance ECISION: Decide where you want to go. I NTENT: signal your intention. C HECK: your mirrors, lean in your seat to reduce the blind spot. E XECUTE: make gradual lane changes and merges. Avoid rocking of the vehicle.

27. As the driver of the fire apparatus, what issues are you concerned with while merging? • Check your left mirror, increase speed to overtake Black Suburban, and abruptly move to the left. • Check your left mirror, signal your intension, identify that the silver car is traveling too fast and stop on the merge ramp until it’s safe to proceed. • Check your left mirror, signal your intension, ensure your speed matches the flow of traffic, gradually merge into traffic.

28. Decision: decide which way you want to go. Intent: signal your intention, let others know what you are about to do. Check: check your mirrors, lean forward in your seat to reduce the blind spot. Execute: make your merge a gradual one, do not perform maneuvers that cause excessive swaying of the apparatus.

29. Causes of Accidents Volunteer Issue • Speed • Disregard for Traffic Control • North Carolina • 80 MPH

30. Causes of Accidents POV • Not an emergency response • Green lights • 8 LODD’s in 2004

31. Causes of Accidents • Driver Error • Inattention • Fatigue • Distraction • Environment • Inexperience

32. Causes of Accidents Intersections • Traffic Volume • Right of Way • Traffic Control Device • Siren Use • Pedestrians • Dangers of Crosswalks

33. Emergency Vehicle Operations Impact of Vehicle Accidents • Personnel Injury or Death to Emergency Responders • Peripheral Injury or Death to Others • Vehicle and Equipment Loss • Long Term Impact • What action may have prevented the incident

34. Causes of Accidents • Turnabouts • U-Turns • Two-Point turns • Three- Point turns

35. Emergency Vehicle Operations Case History • Chicago Fire Department • Lieutenant L. C. Merrell • 43 years old with a wife and five children • Assigned to Truck 24

36. Emergency Vehicle Operations • 1982 Seagraves 100 foot straight, rear mount ladder • 1150 hours, responding to automatic alarm in a residence • Responding with red lights and siren activated • Weather was clear and the roadway dry • Approached a four way stop intersection and did a “rolling stop”

39. Emergency Vehicle Operations Summary- The 4 Questionst responding to a True • Was the unit responding to a True Emergency? • Did the driver exercise due regard for the safety of others? • Did the driver violate any local or state laws or recognized standards? • What action may have prevented the incident

40. Emergency Vehicle Operations Review Unit I Objective:The apparatus operator will be able to describe and list the causes of emergency vehicle accidents