Paramedic banned from driving

St John Ambulance (6DS), AMS, RFDS etc. Frequencies, callsigns and discussion.

Moderator: Infernal

Post Reply
SJANT
150+ posts
150+ posts
Posts: 152
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Northern Territory

Paramedic banned from driving

Post by SJANT »

Thought some people might find this interesting

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/1 ... tnews.html

Do you support the action taken?
gkoutlis
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5128
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 7:46 am

Re: Paramedic banned from driving

Post by gkoutlis »

SJANT wrote:Thought some people might find this interesting

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/1 ... tnews.html

Do you support the action taken?
Hmmm - well, it's a tough call really isn't it - 90km/hr over the speed limit, is excessive. I don't know what the roads are like in the NT - but if there was no traffic, going over by 30-40kms over the limit would be okay IF they took extreme care at intersections/stop signs etc...

Put that situation in Perth, and you'd have problems.... we are far too populated, and to do 90kms over the limit, and a serious crash will almost definitely happen.

The speed restriction (20kms over limit only) I think is a fair restriction to keep the Paramedics/Ambulance Officers and the public - Safe.

Yes it was a critical job - Cardiac Arrest... Time IS critical, but - I don't think driving 90kms over is justified...

My 2 cents.

G
George
WARSUG Moderator
VFRS Member

"I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge. I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there." — Confucius

Image

Any views expressed in the above post are my own and do not necessarily depict or reflect the views or opinions of DFES/FRS or VBFB.
auntys_eyes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1628
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:15 am
Location: Greenmount

Re: Paramedic banned from driving

Post by auntys_eyes »

I believe you have misread the article Mr G. The story implies he was doing 90km/h, not 90 over. I assume the the speed limit may have been 50 or 60km/h and therefore he was travelling 30-40 over the limit, and susequently only 10-20km/h beyond the SJA policy.
WARSUG Moderator - Media Section

VBFB Member

No onion, no garlic, no chilli, no pepper... NO POINT!!
gkoutlis
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5128
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 7:46 am

Re: Paramedic banned from driving

Post by gkoutlis »

auntys_eyes wrote:I believe you have misread the article Mr G. The story says he was doing 90km/h, not 90 over. I assume the the speed limit may have been 50 or 60km/h and therefore he was travelling 30-40 over the limit, and susequently only 10-20km/h beyond the SJA policy.
I stand corrected thanks AE. I just re-read this -
doing more than 90km/h
but what they didn't say was what the posted speed limit was. So I retract my above comments of speeding more than 90kms to the posted limit.

G
George
WARSUG Moderator
VFRS Member

"I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge. I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there." — Confucius

Image

Any views expressed in the above post are my own and do not necessarily depict or reflect the views or opinions of DFES/FRS or VBFB.
observer
150+ posts
150+ posts
Posts: 152
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:14 am

Re: Paramedic banned from driving

Post by observer »

I think the key to this is not the speed he was doing, but the fact that he went against ambulance policy. From what I can gather he didn't break the road rules, and as such he hasn't been charged or fined. However SJ most likely have a policy which limits the speed they can do above a posted limit. To use a number they may only be allowed to do 20km/h aboouve the limit when responding under emergency calls. So if the posted speed limit is 50 km/h then the ambulance can only do 70 km/h. Perhaps SJANT can help out with the policy this person went against.

If the above is true, then the action is appropriate (the time may be excessive, but I am not going to debate that). Rules and policies are there for everyones safety, that is the employees and the public. If the driver went against the policy and caused an accident, he is leaving himself open. The consequences of going against a policy and something goes wrong can be life changing for the employee, and not in a good way.
SJANT
150+ posts
150+ posts
Posts: 152
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:00 pm
Location: Northern Territory

Re: Paramedic banned from driving

Post by SJANT »

That particular section of road is 70km/hr and it is indicated by the article the person in question was driving over 90km/hr so faster than the 20km/hr over the posted speed limit which is against policy according to management as quoted by the article. All the comments in the NT news indicate great public support for the paramedics themselves and not the management. Only 3 negative comments out of 100 which support the great work paramedics do but condem the management for holding them back.
Post Reply