Burlington fire trucks to follow speed limits

by PEP | June 27, 2008 at 09:50 am | 519 views | 16 comments

Implementing this change, officials said, would cost $1 million. Imagine this: after a family's house burns down, or someone doesn't get rescued, the fire department says "Yea, well, between the station and your house there's a big stretch of 25 MPH streets, and then there's the 10 MPH area, so, well, given where your house is--eeerrr, was----there's no way we could get here quickly."

The city of Burlington has started an experiment that it hopes will save lives.

Starting immediately, when responding to emergencies, Burlington firefighters must obey all posted speed limits.

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Caoimhin1

at 10:01 on June 27th, 2008

good stuff:

PEP, I like this story. It's good stuff.

PEP

at 11:33 on June 27th, 2008

Isn't this a great example of waste of money for government illogic? Thanks for the flag.

mgmirkin

at 11:30 on June 27th, 2008

good stuff:

PEP, I like this story. It's good stuff. It would be funny, if it wasn't so deadly serious... Was there some actual IMPETUS for this, or were they just bored?

Worst... idea... ever...

Cheers,

~Michael Gmirkin

PEP

at 11:38 on June 27th, 2008

Who the heck knows? But there goes a million bucks of taxpayer money.

Aside: around here, they decided to put strict rules on when cops could use their sirens. Yea, that's right--they decided it might impact public safety IF they used the sirens and STARTLED people. So instead, at high speed, we weave in and out of traffic without a siren. (I say "we" because I've completed the citizen's academy here and I ride now and then with the cops and have been in that situation). High speed? Hard to respond to say, assaults, burglaries, break-ins, and accidents at slow speed and be useful at all.

I think there's only 2 reasons now when cops are allowed to use the sirens.

Thanks for the flag.

CJaye

at 13:59 on June 27th, 2008

The Firetrucks can only go so fast in any area. That's from 22 years of being on the Fire Department and Rescue Squad knowledge and experience. Also my father was in for 32 years as well. Anytime a truck goes on the road it's very dangerous. Firefighters have to watch out for the other guy and the road and multi task while driving. This is a skill well learned over time like second nature. The trucks are big and It looks like they are flying when they are on a call but they aren't. They can't stop a Pumper or a Ladder on a dime. The fastest they are going is about 40 if that on local roads. Saftey has always been first. ALWAYS. I've seen a Pumper roll over on it's side from a car pulling out in front of the firetruck while we were going on a call I was right behind him when it happened. This is classical the jerk had no idea what he did until the police went back and got him.

PEP

at 15:15 on June 27th, 2008

Thanks for the comment. Yea, those guys have to have experience and good judgment. I just don't see the necessity to spend a million bucks for this new program--and then what happens? Firetruck going 30 MPH in a 30 MPH zone. Up comes a 10 MPH zone, takes 'em a while, right, to slow down? And then must toodle along at 10? And gee whiz, if they are only slowed to 19.5 MPH when they first entered the 10 MPH zone, should they then be ticketed?

I think that unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, especially when dealing with emergency response, and especially at $1 million, just gums up the works.

michelle.sundvick

at 14:58 on June 27th, 2008

The other day I witnessed what could have been a major car accident had a firetruck not swerved out of the way to avoid an ignorant driver who proceeded to cross the road, when he should have been stopping at the light to let the firetruck pass. It's so true how people freak out at the sound of sirens.

One more thing I witnessed last Saturday night that I could not believe. I was following a police car and the car actually turned on their sirens for the sole purpose of speeding through a red stop light... not only once, but twice and then turned them off after. I was with a friend who's dad used to be a cop and she wasn't even phased because she said her dad did it all the time!

PEP

at 15:12 on June 27th, 2008

Maybe they needed to get through that red light, because the need for them was urgent.

From having been onboard, I can honestly tell you that drivers saw us and moved out of the way faster and more safely when we had sirens on.

With people playing loud music, talking on cellphones, etc. a fast-moving car pulling up on them, even with lights flashing, doesn't get their attention. Sirens do.

Pretty much here, where civility still has a toehold, the majority of people on the road will pull over to the right immediately when an emergency vehicle comes through. I've even seen cars headed the other direction, on a four-lane road, pull over to their right when an emergency vehicle headed up the road, just in case for some reason the emergency vehicle had to go up over the median and use the other side of the road (which does happen now and then).

Pretty much, I think that city councils and management not putting their butts in the cars, in training, and one the line, shouldn't be the ones making the rules about sirens use. But that's just me.

EthnoScape

at 19:09 on June 27th, 2008

Aren't urgency and speed part of the whole concept of what is required during EMERGENCIES? If Burlington keeps this up, citizens might do better to ring Domino's Pizza when their house is on fire!

Luiz Castro

at 19:18 on June 27th, 2008

Sounds a little weird, don't you think?

PayPaul

at 20:40 on June 27th, 2008

This is absolutely Nuts!! I can't stand to see Emergency vehicles, police and firefighters being held up in their duties by ignorant self centered idiots who are probably texting one another from the steering wheel. I remember in grade school learning simple rules such as this. The right of way always belongs to Emergency vehicles and law enforcement. That kind of principle seems to be lacking in today's educational curricula.

When one of the Burlington City Council's homes catches fire and burns to the ground because a Burlington Fire Department Engine couldn't reach it in time because of this ridiculous law then maybe it will dawn on them what a blunder they've made.

OH306

at 20:41 on June 27th, 2008

$1,000,000 to obey the speed limit. Things are getting expensive in this country.

Barry Artiste

at 11:21 on June 28th, 2008

good stuff:

PEP, I like this story. It's good stuff.WEll at least until a government bureaucrat's house is burning, I am sure then it will only change. In Canada now with the price of gas, Fire, police and ambulance are charging those who call 911 needlessly or if chasing a speeder, they are tacking on the Gas and mileage costs to the citizens infraction.

Pasi

at 05:51 on June 29th, 2008

I think I see the point with speed limits, but I still would leave consideration for the driver. They have made some technical changes, so time will not be necessary lost. Acceleration with heavy trucks takes time.

"By coming a little slower, the light changes sooner, so the light should be changed before we even get there, allowing the cars to clear the intersection before the truck even gets there. And then, by the time the truck does get there, normally it has a clear path," said McDowell.

But I would like to see, if any police dares to stop firefighter's vehicle and give a ticket.

CARLOS62

at 15:21 on June 30th, 2008

good stuff:

PEP, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Thank you for using my stuff and you have done a great job with this story too.

keep up the great work

best wishes

Carl

Donna Kell (not verified)

at 15:32 on July 11th, 2008

Hey PEP,

Thanks for posting the story. Some point to consider:

Tragedy in Halifax in 1999. A fire truck, going above the speed limit, entered an intersection and collided with a pickup truck, killing the driver and seriously injuring her daughter. Halifax has slowed its fire trucks since and has not seen an impact on response time--just safety.

The technology that changes red lights to green at intersections--Opticom--doesn't work when vehicles travel too quickly.

Finally, firefighters need to arrive safely at the scene so they can save lives. We may be reassured by the image of a speeding fire truck coming to save us. The reality is a little more complicated.

Cheers,

DLK in Oakville, Ontario