Is This An Emergency Vehicle?

[x635 4,066]

During trench rescues, floods, and other incidents, this truck is made immediately available by Consolidated Edison for response and use at the scene. I know it has be used in a rescue capacity several times, including a trench collapse in Mount Vernon a couple of years back.

Does any Tech Rescue team have this truck on their response card or noted as available via special request? I know from personal experience dispatching that during major incidents Con Ed will actually call and offer it up.

So, does that make this vehicle an emergency vehicle, and should it have emergency warning equipment since it may be needed in Yonkers when it's down in Queens?

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[AFS1970 504]

Off hand I would say no, it is like the numerous other support units from other agencies, including tow trucks, cranes, dump trucks, ect. that may be called on infrequently to assist the emergency services.

During a recent incident in Stamford where multiple streets needed to be shut down, the Traffic Department was requested to the scene with a truck load of saw horse type barricades. In order to get themthrough the traffic and deploy the resource, we sent a polic car to escort them ligths & sirens to the scene.

I would assume that the same could be accomplished with a truck like this con-ed truck, or the similar vac trucks that are in service in many Highway Departments, in our area. As the public becomes more and more desensitized to our warning devices, the last thing we need to do is add more non or semi emergency vehicles to the list of who can have what.

[NJMedic 96]

I believe FDNY has used it several times. Probable special called by SOC.

[helicopper 1,050]

Seth,

Making it an emergency vehicle is a reasonable idea. Unfortunately, it would have to be added to the Vehicle and Traffic Law as an emergency vehicle by the State Legislature.

A faster option would probably be for Command to request an escort from PD be assigned to get it where its giong. Besides ConEd, alot of local DPW's or highway departments may also have similar vehicles alot closer than ConEd.

Might be nice to have a list of such resources around the County.

[Guest]

I HAVE USED THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN SURPRISINGLY GOOD. PERHAPS WE WERE JUST LUCKY, BUT MAKING THEM EMERGENCY VEHICLES WOULD BE AN INTERESTING QUESTION, WE HAD ALWAYS TRIED TO HOOK THEM UP WITH POLICE ESCORTS WHEN WE COULD ASCERTAIN WHICH WAY THEY WERE COMING.

REMEMBER WHILE THEY ARE ENROUTE,MAKE ROOM FOR THEM AND BE CERTAIN THE GROUND IS STABLE AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SECTIONS OF MATCHING SUCTION HOUSE SO YOU CAN HOOK UP TO THEM EVEN IF THE CON ED RIG HAS TO STAY A DISTANCE AWAY,SOME OUTFITS CARRY THEM ON COLLASPSE OR RESCUE RELATED UNITS

[WCDES-FTA 6]

I know that FDNY has a vehicle designed to support a Vac truck. It belongs to SOC. It has a large air compressor, several pieces of extension pipe and flex suction hose and other assorted tools. You can find a picture on FDNYtrucks.com in the special unit section.

[calhobs 110]

According to the Con ED class I took last month Con ED gets a police escort when it is needed.

[RWC130 594]

If a MOBILE CANTEEN TRUCK has RED LIGHTS and SIREN I think some

Con Ed vehicles should.

Electrical and Gas problems are often a REAL EMERGENCY.

Maybe a Vehicle like this and or Supervisors.

How often do we need a rush on Con Ed? A LOT!

What is more important having leaking Gas shut down or a cup of Coffee?

Think of all the political "hook up's" with RED LIGHTS.

[mfc2257 464]

I've seen a handful of ConEd Emergency Response Supervisors Tahoes that have amber lightbars (as you'd expect) but have red and clear dash lights and grille lights.

I believe if it is a ConEd related emergency with a life hazard, these vehicles respond as a true emergency response vehicle.

Not 100% on this, but I recall hearing a supervisor answer to that effect when questioned at a scene a few years back.

If a MOBILE CANTEEN TRUCK has RED LIGHTS and SIREN I think some

Con Ed vehicles should.

Electrical and Gas problems are often a REAL EMERGENCY.

Maybe a Vehicle like this and or Supervisors.

How often do we need a rush on Con Ed? A LOT!

What is more important having leaking Gas shut down or a cup of Coffee?

Think of all the political "hook up's" with RED LIGHTS.

←

[BedfordFire 7]

The truck is usually escorted by police. I remember hearing this unit called for in a trench collapse not too far back in White Plains.

See the topic at:

http://emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=14...trench+collapse

Edited May 2, 2007 by BedfordFire

[Guest partyrock]

There was at one point a trial run making certain ConEd vehicles emergency response vehicles (redl lights and all). I am assuming it didn't work out. PD is always more than happy to escourt a vehicle. Let 'em have at it.

[SteveOFD 176]

At one of the ConEd seminars I attended, if I am not mistaken, I recall the ConEd person saying they have nine of these units. I will try to find out more from one our members who works for ConEd.

[JetPhoto 626]

If a MOBILE CANTEEN TRUCK has RED LIGHTS and SIREN I think some

Con Ed vehicles should.

Electrical and Gas problems are often a REAL EMERGENCY.

Maybe a Vehicle like this and or Supervisors.

How often do we need a rush on Con Ed? A LOT!

What is more important having leaking Gas shut down or a cup of Coffee?

Think of all the political "hook up's" with RED LIGHTS.

←

There is no doubt that a utility company needs to get to a call just as fast as we do sometimes, but I don't think they want to invest any more money to these vehicles than they have to not to mention the overall risk of the response.

[nycemt728 49]

I don't think its appropriate for Con Ed to install lights or sirens. By all means, keep the ambers and scene lights for saftey. If they have lights or sirens, whos training all the people who get to drive them? Who in the public is going to respect this? Regardless of importance, is the average joe raelly going to pull over for a Con Ed truck?

I don't think its smart to keep adding to the list of things that have lights and sirens. (The canteen trucks are a whole seperate issue) These trucks would preemptively seem to have a high potential for abuse. The more use of lights and sirens, the less responsive the average citizen becomes. I realize that lack of power is an emergency but will the seconds saved and extra risk truly be worth lights and sirens? I would have to say no! If there truly is an emergeny that cannot possibly wait a few extra seconds I would much rather see these trucks escorted and accompanied by PD.

[helicopper 1,050]

If a MOBILE CANTEEN TRUCK has RED LIGHTS and SIREN I think some

Con Ed vehicles should.

Think of all the political "hook up's" with RED LIGHTS.

←

Mobile Canteen trucks should NOT have red lights or sirens. They're not in the VTL and they won't have much protection if they get into an accident while using them. Nor are they an emergency response asset - they don't NEED to get there urgently. Sure, we may WANT them there but they are not part of an emergency response.

And unfortunately you're right about politicos! They are an ever present menace and have no protection under the law or training on how/when to use them. They are a nightmare waiting to happen!!

Another $.02...

[Guest]

I could be wrong on this, but I think Pheonix AZ. has a Vac-All that is part of their fire dept fleet that they use for trench rescues.

[antiquefirelt 994]

I know after we had a successful trench type rescue inside a cement plant where we used a vacuum truck, the MATF-1 USAR guy we brought in noted that he had trained with FDNY SOC on using these vehicles. Given that loose soil/trench rescue are not often successful so these truck proabably should get some sort of accerated response by any means. In our case the unit that finally worked for us was caught in traffic for 20 minutes and had to be redirected adding nearly an hour to the response. He had no PD escort or emergency lights. But two smaller vacuum type apparatus were not large enough to keep up with the product.

[x635 4,066]

We musn't forget that several local DPW's, including Greenburgh and Tarrytown, also have these vehicles available.

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