[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by llaran

This is what is needed here in Sumter County
• Emergency vehicle preemption has allowed Fairfax County, Virginia
to reduce its response times. The system permits emergency vehicles
along U.S. 1 to pass through high volume intersections more quickly
with fewer conflicts, saving 30 to 45 seconds per intersection.
• Emergency vehicle preemption in the City of Plano, Texas has
dramatically reduced the number of emergency vehicle crashes -
from an average of 2.3 intersection crashes per year to less than one
intersection crash every five years.
• In addition, due to reduced delays at signalized intersections, the City
of Plano can achieve the same response times with fewer fire/rescue
and EMS stations than would normally be required, providing
significant cost savings. The city has maintained a response time goal
achievement rate of over 90 percent, contributing to its Insurance
Services Office Class 1 Fire Suppression Rating - the highest possible
rating on a scale from 1 to 10.
• Emergency vehicle preemption installed in St. Paul, Minnesota has
permitted police, fire/rescue, and EMS vehicles to reach the scene of
an incident faster and with a reduced chance of a crash. Crash rates
per emergency vehicle responses were dramatically reduced in the
years following deployment.
This study also identifies major lessons learned to guide others in
achieving similar benefits. The following list highlights some of these
elements critical to successful emergency vehicle preemption deployment

Are the slow response times due to signalized intersections or other reasons? Does the density of signalized intersections in Sumter County compare with the density in Fairfax, Virginia or Plano, Texas? We hear that in The Villages the Public Safety apparatus arrives for a call in a short time while the EMS crews take much longer. Are the Public Safety crews not affected by the signalized intersections? We hear that part of the delay of the EMS crews is due to waiting at the ER to turn a patient over to the hospital; would this time be reduced with emergency vehicle preemption systems?

I'm not saying that this isn't worth looking into and may improve response times by the same 30 to 45 seconds per intersection. I'm just wondering if there are enough intersections such that the 30 to 45 seconds saved (which seems like an exaggeration) would significantly decrease the long response times we have been hearing about. It's worth evaluating but it may not be the solution.