Watch out for Emergency Vehicles

Across Nothern Michigan volunteer firefighters drop their everyday commitments, work and family time to be there when the pager goes off.

In many areas, fire chiefs and deputy fire chiefs, respond directly to emergency scenes in their personal vehicles, prior to the arrival of fire apparatus.

These vehicles are equipped with an emergency lighting system and siren to safety but effectively respond to emergency calls from home.

This particular response is critical to providing first due fire trucks and personnel the ability to prepare and plan depending on the incident they are responding to while coordinating with other agencies.

Each call is different, providing on scene updates on what equipment is required or if additional services may be needed, ultimately makes a difference in our rural communities when minutes and even seconds matter.

Over the years, many fire departments locally have played a crucial role in someone’s life or home.

Whether that be performing CPR during a cardiac arrest or applying a fire extinguisher on a structure fire, their response makes a difference.

Emergency vehicles like ambulances, fire vehicles and police vehicles using flashing lights and sirens are asking for the right of way

When one of these emergency vehicles approaches you from ahead or behind with its siren on, move over as far to the right of the road as possible to ensure you can give as much space as possible.

Pulling over and giving our fire fighters the space to respond can make a difference in someone’s life or home.