In EMS, we often talk about safety first.
Our office on wheels weighs in around 5 tons. To put that into perspective, that’s 3x the weight of an average passenger car.
Combine that with inclement weather, lack of 4-wheel drive, difficult roadways, distracted drivers, poorly marked addresses, and unplowed driveways, and our crews become faced with much more than just the medical or trauma to which they’re responding.
Today, we gathered for what will now become our annual emergency vehicle operations training.
The crew did a great job navigating forward and reverse serpentine drills, confined space turnarounds, driving with reduced clearance, backing up to loading docks, and a review of overall best practices for safe emergency response.
As we welcome the winter season on the north shore, please help keep our crew safe with these tips:
• Stay, at a minimum, 500 feet or greater behind any moving emergency vehicle that is traveling lights and sirens.
• If an emergency vehicle is approaching you traveling with lights and sirens, slow down, pull to the edge of the roadway (clear of intersections) and come to a complete stop until the emergency vehicle(s) have passed.
• If you meet an emergency vehicle traveling with lights and sirens at an intersection, approach with caution, give right of way to the emergency vehicle.
• Ensure that the fire number to your home or property is clearly marked and visible.
• Ensure that driveways, main entrances, and porches to the home are accessible.
• If you have pets that may be scared with our presence, please put them in a kennel or a room until EMS leaves.
Keeping our first responders safe allows us to better focus on serving our community’s emergency needs.
Thank you!
Karla, EMS Director
Photo credit: Ben Belland, NSH EMT
Training credit: Ben Silence, NSH EMT/Grand Marais Fire Chief and Bob Svaleson, NSH EMR/Hovland Fire EMS Captain/Hovland STOP Team