Relief Driver
Certification
COURSE OBJECTIVES
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Provide students with the ability to safely and
effectively operate fire apparatus under various
emergency and non-emergency situations.
Ensure that students are fully competent with
the handling of apparatus as well as possessing
the skills necessary to operate under numerous
fireground situations.
Provide thorough knowledge of apparatus.
ANNUAL STATISTICS
2004
1,786,088 MILES ON FIRE VEHICLES
46,269 CALLS
2005
1,918,736 MILES IN FIRE VEHICLES
56,377 CALLS
SOBERING FACTS
IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS THREE
APPARATUS OPERATORS
NATIONWIDE HAVE BEEN
INDICTED FOR ACCIDENTS
THAT SEVERELY INJURED OR
KILLED FIREFIGHTERS OR
CIVILIANS
LEGAL ASPECTS
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Georgia State Traffic Code
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Local Speed Limits and/or Zones
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Departmental Operating Guidelines
Georgia State Traffic Code
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We are subject to all traffic codes unless
an exemption applies
Exemptions only apply when operating on
an emergency
Regardless, you can still be held civilly or
criminally liable for your actions if an
accidents occurs and property damage,
injury, or loss of life results
Georgia State Traffic Code
The State Traffic Code gives us many
exemptions during an emergency
response. No speed limits are imposed by
the code so how do we determine our
actions?
The code does not relieve us of the duty to
drive with “due regard” for the safety of
all persons.
DUE REGARD
Due regard is a reasonably careful
person, performing similar duties
under similar circumstances, that
would act in the same manner as
you.
The Driver Of An Authorized
Emergency Vehicle May:
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Park or Stand, irrespective of the
provisions of the chapter
Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop
sign, but ONLY after slowing down as may
be necessary for safe operation “YOU
MUST STOP IN GWINNETT!!!!!”
Exceed the maximum speed limits so long
as he/she does not endanger life or
property
Disregard regulations governing
direction of movement or turning in
specified direction
LOOK AHEAD
Always drive within your capabilities as an
emergency vehicle operator while
considering the limitations of the
apparatus with due regard for the safety
of others.
What constitutes due regard?
Due Regard
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Was enough notice of approach given
before a collision was inevitable?
Was the notice appropriate?
Were all warning devices being used?
Were they used in an appropriate manner?
Could everyone see and hear you?
Did you exercise the required caution?
DAILY POST
FAMILY OF THREE FATALLY INJURED
IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A FIRE
DEPARTMENT APPARATUS
POLICE STATE THAT CHARGES ARE
PENDING AGAINST THE DRIVER OF
THE FIRE TRUCK.
Will you be the first that this applies to?
Bad Things Can Happen To Good
People
All It Takes Is A Split Second Of Bad
Judgment
Don’t Be Another Statistic
Law of Lug nuts
The More Lug Nuts You Have
Means, More DAMAGE !!!!!!!
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In 2005 a total of 15,885 accidents
involving fire apparatus were reported
nationwide.
These accidents resulted in 1,120
firefighter injuries.
23 firefighters lost their lives in these
accidents.
26 innocent citizens lost their lives in these
accidents as well.
Legal Aspects
If you are involved in an accident and
charges are brought against you, will you
be given legal representation by the
County?
Officer and Employee Defense and
Indemnification Plan
This plan establishes the terms and
conditions under which Gwinnett County
shall undertake to defend all specified
civil, criminal, or quasi-criminal actions
brought against supervisors, employees,
administrators, or any appointed or
elected officers, arising out of the
performance of their official duties.
Section 8 – Exclusion, grounds for refusal of
defense and termination of coverage
The County may refuse to provide for the defense
of a claim or proceeding brought against any
plan member if the County Attorney determines
that the claim or proceeding against the plan
member arises out of such plan member’s
intentional or knowing violation of a written
policy of the Commission, a Department of the
County Government, and/or the County
Administrator, where applicable.
Vehicle Operations SOPs
111.000-Emergency Response
All Department vehicles and apparatus will be
operated with consideration for traffic
conditions, weather, and type of thoroughfare
or roadway, and all other existing conditions that
may affect safe vehicle operations. Vehicle speed
shall be dependent upon these factors as well as
the limitations of the apparatus and abilities of
the operator with due regard for safety as top
priority.
When responding Code 1 to an emergency, the
following restrictions will apply:
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The driver/operator will use both audible and
visual emergency warning devices, including
lights and sirens.
The vehicle/apparatus will be brought to a
complete stop at all red traffic lights and stop
signs.
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The posted speed limit will be observed when
entering an intersection with a green light
visible.
The vehicle will slow to a speed of not more
than five (5) miles per hour when entering an
intersection controlled by a yield right-of-way
sign only.
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At no time will the operator proceed through an
intersection until he/she has looked in all
directions and determined that it is safe to
proceed. While proceeding through the
intersection, both the operator and the officer
(where applicable) shall be on the alert for
approaching or turning vehicles, other
emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and any other
hazard that could compromise safety.
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The vehicle will be brought to a complete stop
at all intersections that are visibly obstructed in
any manner – i.e. buildings, other vehicles, trees,
or shrubbery, etc.
Overtaking another vehicle moving in the same
direction should be done with extreme caution.
This should be accomplished by passing the
upcoming vehicle on the left whenever possible.
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Extreme caution will be exercised when traveling
in the opposite traffic flow lanes.
The vehicle will be brought to a complete stop
at all unguarded railroad crossings to ensure a
safe crossing can be made. The operator will
obey crossing signals at all times and the vehicle
will not be driven around crossing gates under
any circumstances.
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The posted, reduced speed limits for school
zones will be observed during hours of
operation.
Operators will bring the vehicle to a complete
stop whenever encountering a stopped school
bus with flashing warning lights and will not
proceed until it is confirmed safe to do so;
…. it will be considered safe to proceed once the
bus driver has ceased operating the flashing
lights or should the bus driver signal it is safe to
proceed.
• A distance of 300-500 feet should be maintained
between emergency vehicles if responding
together along the same route. In congested
areas or when encountering heavy traffic, this
minimum distance may be impossible to
maintain.
…Always maintain adequate distance to avoid
rear-end collisions.
• Always maintain an operating space in front of
the vehicle that is at least equal to the minimum
travel distance necessary to stop the vehicle
without contacting another object.
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The vehicle/apparatus will follow the safest
most expeditious route whenever possible. Also,
it is important to be aware that unnecessary
route of travel through congested or heavily
populated areas, such as subdivisions, should be
avoided whenever possible.
The location and response route of emergency
vehicles will be updated via radio
communications any time there is a possibility
that emergency vehicles routes could intersect
during an emergency response.
The proceeding guidelines, along with adequate
training and experience of the vehicle operator,
will ensure a safe response to the scene of any
emergency.
•
DEFENSIVE DRIVING
Defensive driving means doing everything
reasonably possible to avoid being involved
in a preventable accident, regardless of what
the law is, what the other driver does, or
adverse weather conditions.
A preventable accident is one in which the
driver fails to take reasonable precautions
and/or evasive actions to avoid the accident.
Defensive driving requires continual exercise of
good judgment and good driving habits with
an awareness that all drivers cannot be relied
upon to drive properly and safely.
ELEMENTS OF DEFENSIVE
DRIVING
 KNOWLEDGE - The operator must know the
rules of the road, be aware of the proper
procedures for passing, yielding the right-ofway, and other maneuvers. In addition, they
must know their own limitations, the vehicle’s
limitations, and limitations imposed by the
environment such as traffic and weather
conditions.
 ALERTNESS – The emergency vehicle
operator must develop his/her powers of
observation to be fully aware of what is
happening. The driver must be alert to
potential hazards, and to changing weather
and driving conditions.
 VISION – A driver should “aim high” by raising
his/her field of vision to at least one-quarter
mile ahead to observe potential hazards. As
speed increases, visual acuity, peripheral
vision, and depth perception all deteriorate.
 JUDGMENT – The emergency vehicle
operator must know what to do and when to
do it……every time!!!!
 STAY CALM – It is critically important that the
emergency vehicle operator remain calm and
drive in a safe manner. Reckless driving,
even in response to an emergency, is never
acceptable. The driver who drives in an
aggressive manner, failing to observe safety
precautions, is a menace to other vehicles,
pedestrians, and other firefighters in the
vehicle.
 SKILL – The emergency vehicle operator
must have a good basic knowledge of how to
handle the vehicle. Skill is the result of proper
training plus practice.
Remember – if you try to drive like
a veteran, you may not be
around long enough to be a
veteran.
Defensive Driving Techniques
Anticipating Other Driver’s Reactions
Always anticipate what other drivers will do but
never assume they will react in the appropriate
manner. Just the sound of a siren may cause
some people to panic and pull into your path or
stop in front of you. Always negotiate
intersections in a very cautious manner.
Light & Sirens
Just because you know all your lights
are on and the sirens are in use, do
not assume everyone can see and
hear you. Many accidents have been
caused by over-reliance on warning
devices.
Expect the unexpected!!!!
Defensive Driving Control Factors
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Aim high in steering – Find a safe path well
ahead of you. The faster you are going, the
further ahead you MUST look down the
roadway. Too many vehicle operators drive by
only observing a few hundred feet ahead of the
apparatus.
Defensive Driving Control Factors
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Get the big picture / Stay back and see it all –
Our traffic congestion gets worse almost every
day. Never push your position by forgetting to
adjust your speed based upon traffic and
weather conditions. Anticipate stops and turns
by analyzing traffic conditions well ahead of
you.
Defensive Driving Control Factors
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Keep your eyes moving – Always scan your
mirrors and observe what is going on all around
your apparatus. Focusing only on the area in
front of the apparatus could be a very deadly
mistake.
Defensive Driving Control Factors
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Leave your self a way “out” – By always being
prepared for the unexpected, there is less of a
chance the need will arise for a last resort
maneuver such as evasive steering or emergency
braking. Either can make for a VERY bad day.
Defensive Driving Control Factors
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Make sure others can see and hear you – Use
ALL your warning devices. They have been
placed on the apparatus for a purpose. A siren
will do you no good if it isn’t used properly.
VISUAL LEAD-TIME
Visual lead-time is directly proportional to the
speed you are traveling and the amount of
time required to stop the vehicle. The faster
you are traveling, the further you should be
scanning the roadway due to the additional
distance needed to stop. If visibility is poor,
slow your speed to compensate.
Braking and Reaction Time/Distance
The average reaction time for an unimpaired
driver is approximately ¾ of a second. At 45
miles per hour, you would travel an additional
50 feet before the braking maneuver begins.
At 60 miles per hour, this distance increases to
66 feet. Remember, this distance is traveled
before your foot can move to the brake pedal.
Braking and Reaction
Time/Distance
Once the brakes have been applied at 45 miles per hour, it
takes another 210 feet to stop, making the total
stopping distance at 45 miles per hour 260 feet.
At 60 miles per hour, the braking distance is increased to
370 feet and the total stopping distance is 436 feet.
Several Factors Affect Your Ability To
Stop
Weight of the vehicle – know your apparatus
Condition of the roadway – Is it wet, dry, smooth
surface or rough surface?
Condition of the tires – A thorough daily
checkout could detect safety defects.
Condition of the braking system – If the vehicle
does not stop properly, it should be out-ofservice.
Speed being traveled – Does faster really pay
off?
What Causes Skids?
 Failure to properly appreciate shifting
weights of heavy apparatus
 Improper use of auxiliary braking devices
 Driving too fast for road conditions
 Failure to anticipate obstacles
 Improper maintenance of tires and tire
pressure
 Lack of knowledge of preventing skids
from occurring
Controlling A Skid
Should you find yourself going into a skid,
let off the accelerator, release the
brakes, slightly turn into the direction of
the skid and again lightly apply the
brakes. A hard braking maneuver during
a skid will do nothing but make the skid
worse and harder to overcome.
Braking – ABS braking
Systems
Antilock braking systems make all vehicles
safer and easier to stop. During braking
applying a firm, steady pressure on the
brake pedal allows the on-board ABS
computer to sense a locked wheel within
milliseconds. NEVER pump ABS brakes.
Braking – Non-ABS Braking
Systems
Some older apparatus are not equipped
with ABS, therefore, should a wheel lockup without ABS brakes, release the
brakes allowing the wheels to again turn
causing rolling friction. Then apply
threshold braking until the vehicle is
brought under control.
Brake Fade
 All our apparatus older than 1997 have
disc brakes. Brake fade is less likely on
this type of braking system. All apparatus
1997 and newer have drum brakes.
Brake fade is more likely with drum
brakes because more of the braking
surface (90%) is used and as a result,
brake surfaces get hotter much faster.
During brake fade the brake drum will overheat
and expand. When this happens less of the
drum area is in contact with the brake shoes.
Each repeated stopping distance will increase
– sometimes dramatically. By anticipating stops
well ahead of time, we can help eliminate
heavy stopping maneuvers and brake fade.
Brake fade at best is scary, at worst it is deadly.
MOMENTUM AND INERTIA
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Momentum is the speed of a vehicle’s mass X its
velocity. Momentum is the actions of a moving
vehicle.
Inertia is the force that makes a moving vehicle
tend to stay in motion in the same direction. As
momentum increases, it is more difficult to
overcome the effects of inertia.
CENTRIFUGAL FORCE
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Centrifugal force is the force that tends to push a
vehicle traveling around a curve away from the
center of the turning radius. Centrifugal force is
influenced by both speed and the radius of the
curve. The higher the speed, the greater the
centrifugal force. The tighter the curve, the
greater the centrifugal force.
WEIGHT TRANSFER
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Weight transfer is the shifting of the vehicle’s
weight every time a vehicle accelerates,
decelerates, or changes directions. When a
vehicle “leans” while going through a curve,
inertia and centrifugal force are both at work
causing vehicle weight transfer.
NIGHT VISION
• Night vision can vary greatly from person
to person.
• Less light at night obviously makes good
vision more difficult.
• Flashes of bright light can diminish night
vision.
• Dirty windshields and mirrors will lower
night vision even more.
ADVERSE WEATHER
CONDITIONS
• Approximately six times more people are
killed on wet roads than on snow or ice
covered roads combined.
• The first 30 minutes after rain begins is the
most hazardous time to be driving on wet
roadways.
• Avoid sudden moves with the steering
wheel, brakes, and accelerator.
• In extremely heavy rainfall, occasionally
tap the brakes to make sure they are not
grabbing or pulling.
ADVERSE WEATHER
CONDITIONS
• Make sure tires are inflated properly.
• Keep the windshield clear at all times.
• Verify that all traction devices are
functioning properly.
• Be aware of temperature decreases to
lessen the unexpected encountering of
“black ice.”
• Leave extra stopping distances.
ADVERSE WEATHER
CONDITIONS
• Always drive with low beams on during
adverse weather.
• It takes 3 – 15 times farther to stop on
snow and ice than on dry pavement.
• Slow down and drive cautiously!!!
EVASIVE STEERING
Evasive steering means a sudden or
extreme change in the vehicle’s direction.
If this maneuver is required, consider the
following:
• Can the vehicle be safely steered off the
right or left side of the roadway?
• Are there any obstacles on the roadway?
• Are there any oncoming vehicles?
EVASIVE STEERING
• How stable is the road surface and is it
likely to contribute to loss of control?
By utilizing one of the basics of defensive
driving – looking well ahead – this critical
maneuver can be made easier and safer
or avoided all together.
AUXILIARY BRAKING DEVICES
NFPA 1901 requires that all fire apparatus with a
GVWR above 36,000 lbs. be equipped with an
approved auxiliary braking device. All our fire
apparatus 2001 and newer also have this device
interfaced with the transmission. This causes a
downward shift in the transmission when the
device activates.
JACOBS BRAKE
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The jake brake is a device that is mounted on
the overhead of the engine and basically turns
the action of the exhaust valves into a giant
compressor.
The higher the horsepower and rpm the greater
the effect of the jake brake.
JACOBS BRAKE
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It is hydraulically operated with essentially no
moving parts.
It is very ineffective on trucks when it does not
downshift the transmission.
Average cost installed - $3,000 - $5,000.
TRANSMISSION RETARDER
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This device is an integral part of the
transmission.
It is an output retarder and is mounted on the
rear of the transmission and is silent in
operation.
Retarder chamber fills with hydraulic fluid when
activated.
TRANSMISSION RETARDER
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50% activation is achieved when the foot is
removed from the accelerator. The remaining
50% is achieved when the brake is applied.
Can cause extreme transmission overheating.
Price installed is $5,000 - $7,000.
ELECTROMAGNETIC
RETARDER (TELMA)
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Installed directly on the driveline behind the
transmission.
Uses electromagnetic current to slow the
driveline and is silent in operation.
Initially activates when the foot is removed from
the accelerator.
Initial activation is 25%.
ELECTROMAGNETIC
RETARDER (TELMA)
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Activation is dependent upon brake pedal
pressure. The harder the pedal is depressed, the
greater the stopping power.
Cost installed is $10,000 - $14,000.
Cost of Life: Priceless
ALL auxiliary braking devices
must be turned off when
traveling on wet or slick
roadways.