Chelan County One Division of Training Presents

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Chelan County One Division of Training Presents

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Emergency Vehicle Accident Prevention

• Protect
• Yourself
• Your Fellow Firefighters
• Your community
• By learning to drive
• Safely

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Lesson One

• Some Legal Aspects of Emergency Vehicle Operations

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Apparatus Accident Facts

• 20 Firefighters killed responding to / returning
  from alarms in 2001
• In 1999, six drivers and/or apparatus occupants
  were killed when they were ejected from fire
  apparatus

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EVAP

• Emergency Vehicle Accident Prevention
• We are in the business of responding to accidents
  to help. We should be especially mindful of
  preventing accidents. We have a great deal of
  responsibility and liability as firefighters to
  drive safely, to get to the scene to do the job.

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Why EVAP?

• Congress requires commercial drivers to obtain a
  CDL.
• Each state must devise a way to ensure all
  commercial drivers meet the minimum standards.

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EVAP qualifies emergency vehicle drivers in lieu
of a CDL

• In Washington State, the DOL has accepted the
  fire service EVAP course as an alternative for
  firefighters to drive emergency vehicles.

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The three types types of regulations that
emergency vehicle operators must follow

• 1. Motor vehicle and traffic laws (RCWs) enacted
  by the state government.
• 2. Local ordinances.
• 3. Departmental policy.

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Three principles of emergency vehicle operation

• 1. Emergency vehicle operators are subject to
  all traffic regulations unless a specific
  exemption is made.
• 2. Exemptions are legal only in the emergency
  mode.
• 3. Even with an exemption, the operator can be
  found criminally or civilly liable if involved in
  an accident.

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A true emergency

• Drivers of emergency vehicles will greatly reduce
  the chances of being found guilty of negligence
  if they are reasonably certain that a situation
  represents a true emergency before exercising the
  exemptions granted in the state statutes.

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Is this a true emergency?

• ASK,
• Is there a high probability that this situation
  could cause death or serious injury to an
  individual?
• Is there significant property imperiled?
• Could action on my part reduce the seriousness of
  the situation?

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Once you have made the decision to treat a
situation as a true emergency,

• remember that under all circumstances, according
  to the RCW (State laws), you must exercise due
  regard for the safety of others.

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The Issue of Liability

• Courts apportion blame if you should be driving
  an emergency vehicle when involved in a wreck.
• They look at the case and determine who and what
  contributed to the accident. They assign a
  percentage of blame to each party.

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For example

• They may say that the other driver was 40 to
  blame the fire department 40 to blame and the
  emergency vehicle operator 20 to blame.
• They look at the dollar award and assign the
  percentages accordingly.

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If the other driver is asking for 1,000,000 in
damages for alleged harm due to an accident with
an emergency vehicle, the award would be as
follows

• Other driver, 40 No award.
• Fire department, 40 400,000
• Emergency vehicle driver (YOU, PERSONALLY), 20
  200,000

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What problems might a person encounter after an
accident?

• Possible individual financial responsibility.
• Possible criminal penalties.
• Uncertainty of outcome.
• Months and/or years of mental strain on the
  individual and family.
• Grief, if you took a life or seriously injured
  someone.

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Other Legal Stuff

• A fire department has an obligation to ensure
  that its drivers are not only qualified under
  EVAP, but are also safe drivers.
• So, departments may review a candidates or
  employees driving record.
• The employee must give authorization for release
  of his/her driving record. However, many
  departments obtain blanket permission from
  employees to review driving records whenever the
  employer chooses to do so.

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As if driving an emergency vehicle didnt entail
enough personal liability. . .

• The state of Washington grants NO special driving
  privileges to firefighters driving their own
  private vehicles.

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No special privileges in private vehicles

• Volunteer or paid
• Responding to an alarm
• Reporting back to work on a recall
• Green light or license placard

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Lesson Two

• Defensive Driving
• A Matter of Attitude

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Driver failure the main cause of the majority
of vehicle accidents.
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Types of Driver Failure

• Carelessness
• Incompetence
• Recklessness
• Inattentiveness
• Inability to judge distances
• Slow reaction of drivers

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A Defensive Driver

• Expects and makes allowances for the mistakes of
  others.
• Keeps alert, adjusts driving to meet all hazards
  of weather, road, and traffic conditions.
• Avoids bad habits.
• Avoids following too closely.

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A fire department driver must maintain a safe
driving attitude

• Regardless of the contributing factors which may
  tend to influence him/her.

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• A good attitude is the most important requirement
  of being a good driver.

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The driver of an emergency vehicle has
responsibilities to

• Their own family.
• The department and community.
• The other crew members on board.

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Lesson Three

• Important Physical Forces

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Brake Fade

• Brake fade is caused by overheating.
• Sustained hard braking heats up the brakes.
• The brake pedal becomes harder to apply.
• Then the brakes can fail entirely.

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Preventing brake fade - Disc Brakes
Disc surface cooling

• In disc brakes, the pad makes contact with only
  15 of the disc surface, so about 85 of the disc
  surface is cooling at any time.
• Disc brakes permit more effective cooling than
  drum brakes.
• The biggest cause of brake fade in disc brakes is
  worn pads.

Pad contacting disc
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Preventing brake fade - Disc Brakes

• Worn pads allow heat to transfer to the hydraulic
  fluid
• Disc pads that are 50 worn have a 300 greater
  chance of causing fade.

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Preventing brake fade - Drum Brakes
Drum surface in contact with brake shoe

• Almost 90 of the total drum surface is in
  contact with the brake shoe at one time.
• Only 10 of the surface can be cooling off at any
  one time.
• Drum brakes cool much less effectively than disc
  brakes.

Only
of drum surface is cooling
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Emergency braking - Hydraulic Brakes

• Apply hard pressure to the brake pedal without
  locking the wheels.
• When pavement is dry - quick firm jabs on the
  pedal
• When roadway is slippery - short, steady
  pressure release and repeat

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Emergency Braking - Air Brakes

• Apply a steady pressure.
• Do not fan air brakes - except on slippery
  pavement.
• Fanning brakes wastes air pressure and
  contributes to brake fade due to excessive heat
  buildup.

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Emergency Braking - ABS Brakes

• Apply a steady, even pressure.

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Lesson Four

• Driving Conditions and Contingencies

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What is a safe following distance?

• The Three Second Rule keep a separation of at
  least three seconds between the emergency vehicle
  and the vehicle being followed.

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Start count when the vehicle in front of you
passes a marker on or beside the road.
One thousand-one.
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Fixed Object
One thousand-two.
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One thousand-three.
7
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When should following distance be increased?

• If the vehicle ahead is unusual.
• If your vehicle is large or heavy.
• If road surface is loose or slippery.
• If your vision is obscured.
• If you are tired.
• If road surface is snowy or icy.
• And especially in adverse weather conditions

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Prepare for Contingency Situations

• Primary causes of contingency situations
• Vehicle malfunctions or failures
• A sudden change or deterioration in the roadway
• The appearance of an obstacle in the roadway
• Driver error

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Precautions to Help Prevent Contingencies

• Reduce the chance of a vehicle malfunction or
  failure by
• Completing a thorough vehicle inspection
• Having any problems found repaired promptly
• Monitoring to detect new problems

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Precautions to Prevent Contingencies

• Be aware of any changes in road conditions
  (weather, damage, construction, etc.).
• Remain alert.
• Scan well ahead of your vehicle.
• Look for clues construction signs, skid marks.
• Know the area.

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Precautions for Contingencies

• Be prepared for the appearance of an obstacle in
  the roadway.
• Maintain a safe speed.
• Search for obvious clues.
• School zone signs, heavy pedestrian traffic
• Watch for subtle clues.
• Toys, bikes on lawns (even w/no children visible)
• Vapor from exhaust or parked cars
• Back-up lights on parked cars

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Handling Contingencies

• Evasive acceleration
• A maneuver that is often forgotten.
• Some accidents can be best avoided by increasing
  your speed and getting out of the way.

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Handling contingencies-- Unavoidable
Collisions

• Choose the object you will collide with.
• Choose the course least likely to cause injury or
  death.
• Avoid head-on collisions--these are the most
  damaging to life and property.
• Steer to cause your vehicle to sideswipe or hit
  the other object at an angle.

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Handling contingencies--Unavoidable Collisions

• Avoid hitting large, immobile objects (ex
  concrete bridge abutments, buildings, large
  trees, utility poles).

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Handling contingencies--Unavoidable Collisions

• Choose impact- absorbing objects (ex parked
  cars, low bushes and shrubs).

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• What would be the appropriate response for this
  situation?

The actions that can be taken include Emergency
braking Evasive steering Evasive acceleration No
action
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If you must pull off the road--

• due to adverse weather, a contingency situation,
  or an emergency response, park so as to protect
  the scene.
• This enables you to
• Get the emergency vehicle off the road.
• Limit access to the scene to police officers and
  firefighters.
• Provide visible early warning to surrounding
  traffic.

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Park so as to protect the scene

• Use warning devices -- choose the most effective
  for the situation.
• Most effective Triangular reflectors, flares,
  fuses, reflectorized traffic cones, etc. Use
  caution when employing flares make certain no
  flammable liquids are present.
• Okay Overhead beacon, four-way flashers, cab
  lights.
• Poor Headlights, parking lights.

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Night Driving

• Use caution it is harder for both you and
  others to see at night.

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Night Driving - High Potential for Fatal Accidents
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Night Driving Fatalities

• Nearly 1/2 (47) of all fatalities occur at
  night, but less than one third of all accidents
  occur at night. Thus, a much higher proportion
  of night time accidents result in fatalities.
• Nighttime accidents are much more likely to kill
  someone.

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Night Driving and Drunk Drivers

• Be on guard against drunk drivers.
• Indicators include
• Time of day especially 2300-0300
• Weaving across lanes
• Delayed start at a stop sign or traffic light
• Erratic speed

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Night Driving and Use of High Beams

• Use headlights and high beams appropriately.
• It is recommended headlights be on at all times.
  (Headlights are required to be on and operating
  as part of the emergency lights while responding
  in a code red response.)
• Dim high beams within 500 feet of approaching
  vehicles.
• Dim high beams within 300 feet of overtaking or
  following other vehicles.

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Lesson Five

• Operating ApparatusVehicle Control Tasks

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To review

• Lights and sirens are used to inform traffic and
  pedestrians of an emergency vehicles presence
  and thus, to aid in clearing a path for the
  emergency vehicle.

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To review

• Due regard must always be exercised, even during
  the most serious of emergencies.
• State law requires the emergency vehicle to use
  emergency lights whenever any of the exemptions
  are exercised.
• Use of signaling equipment does not guarantee an
  operator safety, nor does it free him/her from
  the possibility of civil or criminal liability if
  an accident occurs.

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Sirens - Limitations on Effectiveness

• Usually siren sound travels forward from the
  vehicle in a cone shape.
• The higher the sound frequency, the narrower the
  cone and the greater the distance the siren can
  be heard (ex electronic sirens).
• The lower the frequency, the wider the cone of
  sound (ex mechanical or growler type sirens).

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Keys to Successful Urban Driving

• Keep alert watch for
• Children
• Alleys
• Exhaust from parked cars
• Crosswalks

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Keys to Successful Urban Driving

• Be cautious of other motorists actions, they
  may
• Signal turns or lane changes without doing so.
• Turn or change lanes without signaling.
• Try to beat a light, going through as it changes.

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NOTE

• In spite of the way motorists signal, look at the
  direction they are looking, the way the vehicle
  is pointing, if they are slowing accordingly, and
  if their actions agree with their signaled
  intentions.

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Urban Driving in the Emergency Mode

• Speeds in excess of limit are rarely justified.
• Reasonable speed allows more time to react.
• Use lights and siren effectively.

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Motorists Reactions to Lights and Sirens

• Generally, they will try to pull to their right
  and slow down or stop.
• Some motorists, however, will do senseless,
  unexpected things.

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Handling Confused Motorists

• Discontinue the use of the siren, give them a
  chance to think.
• Tap horn or flash lights to try to establish eye
  contact.
• Once eye contact has been established, give hand
  or verbal signal indicating what action motorist
  should take.

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Handling Unaware Motorists

• Beware of startling unsuspecting motorists.
• Vary siren pitch and duration.
• Use headlights, horn, or spotlight to get
  attention.
• Be patient, keep signaling.
• Never pass on the right.
• In extreme cases, it may be necessary for a crew
  member to get out and direct traffic.

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Handling Blocked Traffic

• Try to plan ahead if possible, during rush
  hours, construction and special events, use
  alternate routes.
• Slow down before reaching blockage.
• Use siren intermittently.
• Be patient.
• Do not travel in opposing lanes unless you see
  traffic is cleared for at least one block.

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Negotiating Intersections

• Intersections are the most likely areas for fatal
  accidents.
• Before crossing an intersection, you must make
  sure there is an adequate gap in traffic.

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Crossing an Intersection

• From a full stop, most vehicles require about
  four (4) seconds to cross a two (2) lane
  intersection that is 30 feet wide.
• For larger vehicles, time varies depending on
  size, weight, and the ability to accelerate.
• The operator should look left, then right, then
  left again before crossing.
• Cars approaching from either direction should be
  at least six seconds from the intersection.

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Passing Other Vehicles

• First ask yourself if passing is necessary.
• How long does it take to pass?
• At highway speeds, a safe pass can be completed
  in 10 seconds.
• A 10-second pass requires 1/6 mile at 60 mph.
• Due to the possibility of an oncoming vehicle,
  operator must allow 1/3 mile of visible roadway
  before initiating a pass.

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Passing Other Vehicles

• Learn to judge distances.
• Know the characteristics of your vehicle.
• Its accelerative capacity
• Its steering precision
• Its braking capability

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Passing Other Vehicles

• Know indicators of unsafe conditions for passing.

• Informational signs
• Bad weather/visibility
• Road markings
• Presence of roadways or driveways
• Road configuration--hills, blind curves
• Know your area
• Never pass a stopped car (or line of cars)
  without first determining why it is stopped.

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Passing in the Emergency Mode

• Since motorists will attempt to pull over, the
  need to pass may be reduced.
• If conditions are questionable for passing,
  consider
• How important is saving time?
• Are you responding to an out-of-control fire in
  an apt. building or a brush fire in an isolated
  field?
• How much time will really be saved by passing?
• If passing is delayed for a few moments, might
  conditions improve?
• Lane markings may change.
• Traffic may thin out.
• Road configuration may improve (e.g. from curves
  to straight).

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Backing Up

• Backing-up mishaps account for a large proportion
  of emergency vehicle accidents.
• Park so backing is minimized or eliminated.

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When the vehicle must be backed

• Crew members shall be stationed in such a
  position as to assist the driver.
• At night, use backup or rear-deck lights to
  illuminate the rear area behind the vehicle.
• Back up person should use appropriate hand
  signals.

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When the vehicle must be backed

• Roll down the drivers window to allow direct
  communication w/backup person.
• Check for pedestrians and obstacles.
• Back SLOWLY (as if you are expecting to hit
  something).
• Constantly check mirrors for changes in the
  traffic situations or obstacles.

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Vehicle Clearances

• Know the height, width and length of the vehicle.
  
• (L I Vertical Standard 305 requires the height
  of the vehicle to be posted on the dash.)
• Know the turning radius, and length of front and
  rear overhangs.

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Lesson Six

• Apparatus Inspections

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• A daily apparatus inspection should be performed
  in two stages.
• The primary inspection is a basic safety
  inspection to determine if the vehicle is ready
  to drive.
• The secondary inspection checks the readiness of
  the vehicle and identifies possible points of
  failure.

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The Daily Inspection

• Primary
• Check overall condition of vehicle
• Check underneath for leaking fluids
• Check tires, oil level, primer fluid, seat belts,
  adjust drivers seat and mirrors.

• Secondary
• Start apparatus and allow to warm up.
• Check all gauges, exterior lighting, sirens,
  horns, windows, water tank level.
• Check all equipment, ladders, ropes, SCBAs, aid
  kits, oxygen, suction units, stretchers, mileage.
• Initial the inspection sheet.

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The Weekly Inspection

• Bleed air tanks.
• Check undercarriage, transmission oil, water
  lines, windshield wipers, tires, batteries,
  ground ladders, portable equipment, SCBAs, first
  aid supplies, oxygen.
• Operate engine and pump.
• Initial the inspection sheet.

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Summary

• Emergency Vehicle Accident Prevention

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• There is a lot to know about the operation of
  emergency vehicles.
• There is too much liability involved not to know
  as much as we can.
• We must each do our part to protect the public
  and our co-workers.

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Comments or Questions?