LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – When an ambulance is dispatched to a critical call, every second counts, but they often hit obstacles on the road — like traffic, construction and drivers not abiding by the rules.
FOX5 rode along with Community Ambulance and noticed an alarming amount of drivers who didn’t pull over for lights and sirens.
“There is somebody on the other end of that line who has picked up and called 911 because they are having an emergency,” said Glen Simpson, senior director of Community Ambulance. “Every time we’re having to stop because people aren’t pulling to the right, those are precious seconds that lead to minutes that can result in a longer response time.”
We’ve all seen it on the road – sirens blaring behind us as an ambulance maneuvers through traffic, but still, some drivers just don’t pull over.
”We’re going to approach the intersection. We’ll treat it as a red light,” said Simpson. “You can see right here an individual that just didn’t even hear us or see us.”
“Sometimes I look at people and go, ‘Really? That’s what we’re doing today?’” said Mel Ondik, who has been a medical provider and driver with Community Ambulance for 13 years.
It’s an already challenging job is made more difficult by drivers like this who do everything else but pull to the right.
”The trucks move over faster, like the tractor-trailers, they move over and get off to the side. Regular cars will just try and beat us and not move, so it can be frustrating,” said Ondik. “The worst is when you’re driving code and someone just dead stops in front of you.”
She says only about half of Las Vegas drivers do the right thing when the ambulance approaches with lights and sirens.
“Like right now, you have people that are opposing traffic that should be pulling to the right, and they’re not. We have a driver here coming up ahead that shouldn’t have pulled out into the intersection to begin with,” said Simpson during the FOX5 ride along.
However, here’s one instance where you wouldn’t pull over: if you’re stuck in traffic at a red light. In this case, the ambulance will kill its lights and sirens until it’s safe to proceed.
“I’ll turn them back on once I have the green light, and then we can go through safely without making people do things that they shouldn’t be doing,” said Ondik.
Then it’s back on the road to rescue, and every driver’s move is critical in their response.
Community Ambulance also wants to remind drivers: Just because one ambulance or firetruck passes by doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Another emergency vehicle could be close behind.
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