Fire Division looks into speedy trips clocked by GPS
That didn’t violate the Fire Division’s policy, and they likely won’t be disciplined. But the incidents have sparked a debate among city officials about how fast is too fast when responding to emergencies.
Fire administrators launched the investigation despite strong objections from fire union officials. The city’s new GPS tracking system had flagged SUVs driven by firefighters serving in the role of battalion chief who drove between 101 and 113 mph a total of 13 times in a two-month span, according to documents obtained by The Dispatch through a public-records request.
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Publishers Notes: I do know that a Delmar Firefighter was recently clocked doing in excess of 90 mph in a 35 mph zone. I believe he was also suspended.
And how about investigating the police for speeding on and off duty emergency or not?
ReplyDeleteanonymous 11:33, come on now. This article is about Firefighters exceeding the speed limit. We have done numerous articles about Police Officers exceeding the speed limit, so give that one a rest for now.
ReplyDeleteI would venture to say that NO SUV should be driven at 100MPH. They are big, cumbersome vehicles that handle poorly. That kind if speed is why we have sports cars that are lighter and more responsive.
ReplyDeleteEverybody should consider how speed increases don't offer a whole lot of time savings on short trips.
Go 10 miles at 60MPH - Get there in 10 minutes
Go 10 miles at 90MPH - Get there in 7 minutes.
With a 5 mile trip, the difference becomes 1.5 minutes. Good luck convincing somebody that those 1.5 minutes are worth more than a hill of beans.
Even on a big interstate, there's a HUGE difference between driving 60MPH and 90MPH in terms of safety. The difference grows when you talk a highway like Rt 50 where people cross opposing traffic and pull out virtually anywhere, or a rural road like Nanticoke which has head-on traffic, more frequent entries/exits, and plenty of twists in the road.
While some will argue that "every minute counts" during the response, it also counts during the travel to the scene. Get to that intersection a minute earlier, and you may end up in a serious accident.
And don't forget 2:25, you obviously can't help if you get killed en route.
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