Villages Fire and Ambulance

[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

[Bill14564]

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.

[Joe V.]

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

Sounds good but it is probably not cost efficient for the few more congested intersections in the village. I do not see Sumter County paying for this inside The Villages. At least not today. Maybe 10 years?

The real congested intersections seem to be outside The Villages. They would be the priorities. Sumter County and State of Florida traffic engineers do regular traffic surveys on streets and intersection. You run over their sensor cables all the time, in different locations. I am sure this solution is being considered at planning sessions.

I have been interested in emergency vehicle preemption systems for several years so I have done some in depth research. I am neither for or against it in Sumter County. It all comes down to cost effectiveness for a system that may or may not address the traffic issues.

These are some of the issues with emergency vehicle preemption systems.

Many preemption systems use optical, infrared or radio technologies, which require line of sight. These signals do not pass through buildings, over hills or around corners. This means that emergency vehicles may be required to make a complete stop and wait for traffic to clear before moving forward. Common GPS technologies also require a clear view of the sky to function.

A fire engine may receive a call within a firehouse or an ambulance may be in a parking garage. Since there’s no clear line of sight and the GPS can’t resolve without a clear view of the sky. Often they are stuck at the first traffic light. This is widely known to traffic engineers as the “first light” problem. It has a significant impact on response times.

Preemption systems often can’t clear traffic in advance. They’re only activated when an emergency vehicle is close enough to the intersection. A green signal isn’t very helpful when there’s a traffic jam ahead which is a common occurrence in busy cities during rush hour and other busy traffic hours (e.g. holidays or events).

Emergency vehicles approaching an intersection with a green light might not have any way of knowing if the signal has actually been preempted. If they need to take a left turn, the vehicle may need to stop and ensure that all of the oncoming traffic has stopped before proceeding through the intersection, in order to avoid a collision.

The Federal Highway Administration points out that preempted signals that stop motorists for too long may “encourage disrespect for the red signal”. While there’s no specific evidence with preemption systems, disobedience is common among signalized crosswalks and similar scenarios where vehicles are forced to a temporary stop. Just something that is considered in planning stages.

Studies have shown that, once a signal was preempted, coordinated systems can take anywhere from 30 seconds to seven minutes to recover to normal operation, depending on the location. At peak traffic hours these interruptions can lead to significant delays for all vehicles at the intersection and connecting or nearby roads.

Most preemption systems don’t include any kind of reporting system. Emergency vehicles may record their response times but it’s difficult to consolidate information and analyze it to find ways to improve or measure improvements over time.

There are some newer, and expensive systems available which address all these problems. However, as stated, it always comes down to cost vs. benefit.