E MERGENCY V EHICLE I ncident P REVENTION

1. EMERGENCYVEHICLEIncidentPREVENTION A Training Program for Fire Department Drivers

2. The material used in this presentation is from the WSP Fire Protection Bureau (EVIP Standard) approved January 1997 Presented by Clark County Training Division

3. Washington State Fire Department Emergency Vehicle Incident Prevention (EVIP) Standard This brief highlight is not intended to replace a basic understanding or intent of this standard.

4. LESSON 4 DRIVING CONDITIONS AND CONTINGENCIES

5. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Objectives - Upon completing this lesson, the student will be able to • 1. Describe a method for estimating vehicle following distances. • 2. Describe precautions to take when driving in adverse weather conditions. • 3. State the three primary steps that should be taken in controlling any type of skid.

6. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • 4. Explain why posted precautionary speeds should not be exceeded. • 5. Describe two problems associated with night driving and two ways to improve visibility at night while driving.

7. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Normal Following Distance • Estimate Car Lengths • One car for every 10 mph. • Three Second Rule • Three seconds between emergency vehicle and vehicle being followed. • Four Second Rule • Recommended for larger vehicles.

8. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Normal Stopping Distances • Stopping distances vary from vehicle to vehicle. The size, weight, braking capacity, and vehicle design, as well as weather and road conditions, all affect stopping distances.

9. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies

10. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Adverse Weather Conditions • The relative stopping distance at different speeds and weather and road conditions will vary. • Stopping on wet pavement takes approximately twice the distance as stopping on dry pavement. • Stopping on ice or sleet takes about five times the distance as stopping on dry pavement.

11. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Coming to a complete stop, on ice or sleet from 30 mph requires as much distance as coming to a complete stop from 65 mph on dry pavement. • In any adverse weather condition following distance MUST BE INCREASED. • Following distance should be increased proportionately to the severity of the prevailing weather conditions.

12. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • REMEMBER • Wet or rainy weather increases the driving hazard. • Approximately six times more people are killed on wet roads than on snowy and icy roads combined.

13. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Tips for Driving on Ice and Snow • Stay aware of temperature. “Wet” ice and freezing rain are the most treacherous of all driving conditions. • Wet ice and freezing rain occur when the temperature hovers around the freezing point (23 to 40 degrees F). • Road bridges freeze before the road approaches. • Do not make any sudden moves with the steering wheel, brakes, or accelerate unless absolutely necessary. • Turn down or off the “Jake Brake.”

14. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Handling Contingency Situations • Contingency situations can arise at any time. When they do arise, normal traffic flow may be suddenly interrupted and the safety of all persons in general area diminished. • It is a good policy to be familiar with the contingency situations that occur most often, and to understand the actions that can be taken to minimize the likelihood of death or injury.

15. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Four Primary Causes of Contingency Situations • Vehicle malfunction or failure. • A sudden change or deterioration in the road. • The appearance of an obstacle in the roadway. • Driver error. • Clearly a contributing factor in most accidents

16. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Precautions to Help Prevent Contingencies • Completing a thorough vehicle inspection. • Correcting or having any malfunctions or problems repaired promptly. • Monitoring to detect • noises • new or changed vibrations • odors • changes in handling characteristics

17. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Any unforeseen change or deterioration in the road (weather, damage, construction, etc.) can produce a contingency situation. • Remain alert. • Scan well ahead of your vehicle • Look for cues • construction signs • skid marks on the road surface • Know the area • which roads become slippery when wet • which roads are in poor repair, etc. • which roads have tight (decreasing radius) curves

18. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Be prepared for the appearance of an obstacle in the roadway (includes pedestrians, other vehicles, etc.) • Maintain a safe speed; one which allows maximum vehicle control. • Search for obvious cues • “Watch Children” and “School” signs • Heavy pedestrian traffic

19. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Learn to spot subtle cues • toys, bikes on lawn • even though no children are • vapor from exhaust or parked cars • back-up lights on parked cars

20. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Driver error should always be considered. • Begin shift well-rested, with no unusual physical or mental impairment. • Personal problems, resulting in mental or emotional strain, can affect driver’s performance. • Remain alert • Avoid unnecessary risk. • Don’t panic!

21. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • General Techniques for Handling Contingencies • Evasive steering is a sudden or extreme change in the vehicle’s direction and is often used to avoid pedestrians, animals, vehicles, or other obstacles. • This action is taken because it is too late to stop.

22. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Scan the roadway and nearby areas for escape routes. Consider • Can the vehicle be safely steered off to the side of the road?

23. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • How stable is the road surface (e.g., gravel vs. concrete), is it likely to contribute to loss of control? • Be especially careful when approaching the crest of a hill, rounding a curve and when approaching intersections • These situations minimize possible escape routes

24. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Remain alert when approaching a bridge, railroad crossings or changing from an all-weather surface to off-road driving conditions. • Bridge decks may be of the same road surface as the roadway or may be grated metal, grooved concrete, or even wooden timbers. • Railroad crossings may have wide gaps between the road surface and the tracks or may have wooden railroad ties as the road surface.

25. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies

26. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Handling Skids • Skidding means loss of steering and brake control • The primary cause of all skids • A sudden change of speed or direction • Any change of speed or direction under conditions of poor traction

27. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • To help regain control, no matter what type of skid is occurring • Do not apply brakes • Maintain speed or slowly reduce speed; do not accelerate • Counter Steer (steer in the direction to which the rear end of the vehicle is skidding

28. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies

29. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Unavoidable Collisions • When a collision is unavoidable, choose object to collide with. Considerations are • Choose course least likely to cause injury or death • Head-on collisions are the most damaging in terms of both life and property • Steer so that emergency vehicle sideswipes or hits the other object at an angle. • Avoid hitting large, immobile objects. Best choices are “impact absorbing” objects.

30. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Impact Absorbing • parked cars • low bushes and shrubs • Non-Impact Absorbing • concrete bridge abutments • buildings • large trees • utility poles (also pose the hazard of power lines)

31. Lesson 4 - Conditions & Contingencies • Blowouts, Flat Tires, or Re-cap Failures • Hold the steering wheel firmly • Stay off the brakes • Hang-on!

32. Lesson 4 - Conditions & ContingenciesREVIEW • Objectives - Upon completing this lesson, the student will be able to • 1. Describe a method for estimating vehicle following distances. • 2. Describe precautions to take when driving in adverse weather conditions • 3. State the three primary steps that should be taken in controlling any type of skid.

33. Lesson 4 - Conditions & ContingenciesREVIEW • 4. Explain why posted precautionary speeds should not be exceeded. • 5. Describe two problems associated with night driving and two ways to improve visibility at night while driving.