Safe Speed Forums

FIREMEN FORCED TO SILENCE THEIR SIRENS

Firemen have been banned from speeding to some emergencies with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring because of road safety fears.

Crews have been told to travel silently and within speed limits when there is 'no immediate threat to life or property'.

But critics of the policy, introduced last week across South Yorkshire, claim it could put emergency workers and members of the public in unnecessary danger.

Tony Clay, the county brigade's head of operational standards and safety, said the aim was to reduce the number of road accidents involving fire engines. He said crews would obey all traffic regulations and keep lights and sirens off when attending 'small or secondary fire incidents' where the blaze is not 'in proximity to a building'.

The Fire Brigades Union has condemned the policy, the first of its kind in the country, saying, 'almost every fire starts as an insignificant fire'.

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Anyone who tells you that nothing is impossible has never bathed in a saucer of water.

What rot!

I'm willing to bet my amassed fortune that even fewer accidents are caused by emergency vehicles on response to a 'non-life-threatening fire' (whatever the hell one of those is) than the comparatively miniscule number caused by otherwise safe drivers exceeding a numerical speed limit!

I am interested to so how far this speed obsession is going to go? I am really believe some people see the speed limit, as the only speed that one can safely drive down a road. So convinced of this they are willing restrict highly trained drivers. I susspect this is the thin edge of the wedge.

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

Within that situation it seems a reasonable instruction. The trouble is, how many fires present no threat to life or property. Probably 0.

Firefighters banned from speeding to fires because it's 'too risky' - 18th June 2007

South Yorkshire fire engines are being told to cut their speed. - Firefighters in Sheffield have been banned from speeding to emergencies with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring ... because it is too risky.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1770

I'm no expert in fire safety, But I do remember that the T1 Heathrow fire started as an insignificant out of control BBQ grill at burger king, which ignited the fat in the chimney (poor cleaning standards) and eventually (within about 15 mins) ignited the entire roof.

The fire got so hot that the aluminum flashing caught light.

5 mins could have saved £100M. I suspect most fires start like that.

My concern is that the fire might be called in as minor, but by the time the crew are on sight it may have developed. We therefore have a risk to the fire crew (not to mention property and people) because they are now dealing with a more complex fire.

I wonder if ambulance crews will be next

May be even the police will be expected comply speed limits, particularly when not on emergency calls !!!
.

I thought that there no speed limits for vehicles being used for fire brigade purposes? So they have nothing to "obey".

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Andrew.