How Emergency Vehicles Have an Effect on Our Lives

You many not give much thought to emergency vehicles as you go about your daily business. However, if you have ever experienced a dangerous or life-threatening situation, you would realize just how important these life-saving vehicles are. Whether it be a fire, an intruder or an acute illness, these specially designed vehicles are part of the chain of events that can save your life.

There are several types of emergency vehicles that vary based on the purpose for which they are designed. They are usually operated by designated agencies, which may or may not be government owned. They are often allowed to circumvent traffic laws in order to perform their duties in the quickest possible way.

Emergency vehicles are divided into several groups dependent upon their purposes:

Police
Police and security vehicles include police cars and motorcycles as well as SWAT vehicles. Bomb disposal vehicles are also included as are police bicycles.

Fire
Fire and rescue vehicles include the entire fire-fighting division. This is comprised of several units such as ladder trucks. The group also includes mountain and mine rescue vehicles as well as search and rescue team vehicles. Also included in this vehicle group are hazardous materials and lifeguard vehicles.

Medical
Ambulances are the main vehicles in this group, although organ transplant and blood supply vehicles are included as well.

Miscellaneous
Several other types of vehicles fall under the emergency vehicle heading. These include park ranger and public utility vehicles for civil emergencies and tow trucks for recovery vehicles.

Most emergency vehicles are fitted with audible and visual warning devices. These devices help to allow the vehicle to stand out in an emergency. With them, the vehicle can facilitate strategic movement through traffic and reach their destination safely.

Most local laws require traffic to yield to emergency vehicles. Most instances require cars to pull over and let the vehicles pass when their warning devices are enabled. Motorists face paying a fine if they refuse to obey the rules. In some areas where local laws make no such requirements, motorists will still usually pull over out of courtesy.

While colors and designs vary from town to town, most emergency vehicles will have similar markings, also called livery, for identification and visibility. These designs can include:

Service Identification - The information provided usually designates the city and state as well as the type of service the vehicle provides.

Vehicle I.D. - This number can be a tracking number used for servicing or a unit number used for identification. The number is sometimes displayed on the roof for aerial identification.

Markings - These are displayed with high visibility so that vehicles can be conspicuous en route as well as at the scene. Not all vehicles are marked to stand out, though. Many police vehicles are designed for stealth and are unmarked.

While we may not realize how much our lives are influenced by emergency vehicles, surely such cars and trucks specially designed to provide life-saving experiences are important to our everyday lives.