05/15/2026
A great question was sent in earlier this week that we’d like to share with everyone:
“What should I do if a fire truck is coming up behind me with lights and sirens on?”
Our goal when responding to an emergency is to do so quickly—but most importantly, to respond safely. All of our members go through extensive emergency vehicle operator training before being cleared to operate an emergency vehicle.
Seeing an emergency vehicle approaching may catch someone off guard. Maybe we’re driving down the road just like you, and we receive a call requiring us to activate our lights and sirens. No need to panic, we promise—we’re just asking to get by so we can help someone in need.
If you see an emergency vehicle approaching with lights and sirens, the best way to help us is to calmly pull to the right and stop as soon as you can do so safely. Please don’t slam on the brakes! Just like a semi, our ambulances and fire apparatus can’t stop on a dime like a regular passenger vehicle can.
Some of our residential streets, like 204th Street or Gruenther Road, do not have shoulders. In this case, it’s absolutely okay to pull as far to the right within your lane as possible and calmly come to a complete stop. Just be sure not to stop side-by-side with another vehicle so we still have room to get around. If there’s a turn coming up, we may need to take it, so please do not stop in the middle of an intersection or while blocking a side street.
If you’re stopped at a red light when we are approaching, moving over may be more difficult. If you can safely pull to the right, that can still help us get by, but please do not enter an empty lane to try and get out of the way. We often see drivers move into an otherwise open lane thinking it helps, but that open lane is often the exact path we need to use to safely pass traffic.
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