Hey guys im about to join an explorer program in oregon and its an actual emergency response team that has a academy. So my big question is do you think kids 16+ with a valid driver's license should be allowed to install red and white emergency lights and a siren to there personal car??

 

My opinion is: When you call 911 and say your lost,stuck out in the woods,hiking trip ended bad,stuck out in the water...ETC These all count as Code 3 emergency calls why call us in if we have to drive like normal people through heavy traffic to the station and wait for our team leader and other members? I mean so what there 16 Normal officers have to work there butts off to drive a patrol car why cant we do the same i dont mind doing code 3 driving training a few dozen times. Code 3 means life or death and if its so that we cant have any emergency lights or siren........Do not guarantee on us to rescue you on time so i want to hear your beliefs take into account on GTA lcpdfr when you get a shootout call do you drive normally to the station and slowy make your way to your assault rifle then rush to the call? SAR is a team the kids take the academy our deputies do some training but the kids kinda teach them they cant do it by there selfs if they could why would they ask for volunteers?? Thank you

 

Well giving that to become a vol. firefight here in NC you can be 16 and ONLY have red and white lights with NO siren, I think y'all should be allowed if only you guys are responding to 911 calls. But then again you are ONLY a explore group. You're not a real police officer, firefighter, or paramedic which means NO.

 

Last thing y'all need is a bunch of 16 year old's showing off their "cool" lights and sirens. If you want that stuff you show join a Volunteer fire DEPT. or something

 

I have to sound off with the rest of the people on here, while I see your point because I was once like you (10 years ago) I have since learned the limits as to why it is not allowed. You are not immature kids out causing problems, but (and don't take this next part as a slam, its just a proven fact) at 16 you do not have the experience in different driving situations to be able to safely drive code. I am not sure if you have talked to officers or fire guys but driving code 3 is scary and most cops/FF hate doing it. Sadly even folks 18-21 still don't poses these skills. As the old saying goes "its all fun and games until someone gets hurt" well sadly most people die when involved in a code 3 collision. I will say however, my argument for your group TO have lights/sirens, you make great billboards in parades, in the event you guys are deployed and need to either control traffic or need to get from one side to the other of a crowed event you can clear the way. The last piece for would be during times of disaster you can be utilized to gain publics attention by driving around (in safer areas) to notify people of important info. Try and look at it from a objective and outside position so you can see our points of view.

I have to sound off with the rest of the people on here, while I see your point because I was once like you (10 years ago) I have since learned the limits as to why it is not allowed. You are not immature kids out causing problems, but (and don't take this next part as a slam, its just a proven fact) at 16 you do not have the experience in different driving situations to be able to safely drive code. I am not sure if you have talked to officers or fire guys but driving code 3 is scary and most cops/FF hate doing it. Sadly even folks 18-21 still don't poses these skills. As the old saying goes "its all fun and games until someone gets hurt" well sadly most people die when involved in a code 3 collision. I will say however, my argument for your group TO have lights/sirens, you make great billboards in parades, in the event you guys are deployed and need to either control traffic or need to get from one side to the other of a crowed event you can clear the way. The last piece for would be during times of disaster you can be utilized to gain publics attention by driving around (in safer areas) to notify people of important info. Try and look at it from a objective and outside position so you can see our points of view.

 

Just like what lincon said, I've been told by many cops the driving code is scary. Lots of cops have been killed. Even a friend of mines dad was killed when responding code to a officer needs help call.

 

It might seem fun but it is VERY dangerous. Sorry

Hey guys im about to join an explorer program in oregon and its an actual emergency response team that has a academy. So my big question is do you think kids 16+ with a valid driver's license should be allowed to install red and white emergency lights and a siren to there personal car??

 

My opinion is: When you call 911 and say your lost,stuck out in the woods,hiking trip ended bad,stuck out in the water...ETC These all count as Code 3 emergency calls why call us in if we have to drive like normal people through heavy traffic to the station and wait for our team leader and other members? I mean so what there 16 Normal officers have to work there butts off to drive a patrol car why cant we do the same i dont mind doing code 3 driving training a few dozen times. Code 3 means life or death and if its so that we cant have any emergency lights or siren........Do not guarantee on us to rescue you on time so i want to hear your beliefs take into account on GTA lcpdfr when you get a shootout call do you drive normally to the station and slowy make your way to your assault rifle then rush to the call? SAR is a team the kids take the academy our deputies do some training but the kids kinda teach them they cant do it by there selfs if they could why would they ask for volunteers?? Thank you

Seriously?

When you've completed an EVOC course, you can have an opinion on this.

 

You say you are from Oregon.  So most likely in a rural area.  A majority of your driving (when "responding" as you say, to a scene) will be highway driving.  Running code on a highway with little traffic (lets face it, Oregon dosen't have much in the way of 'population') you will routinely see speeds of over 100mph.  You see taillights in the distance, if they're stopped you'll pass them within seconds.  Not to mention the fact that vehicles handle differently at high speeds...

-When was the last time you hit the brakes doing 110mph+?  

It's nothing like pressing on the brakes at 20, 30, or even 60.  They go down, and that's it.  In most vehicles you aren't going to lock up at those speeds, whereas in the same vehicle at 60mph you can most likely hit the brakes in a moderate fashion and lock up the tires.  Most civilian tires are built for speeds up to 90mph, and normal driving conditions.  Not response driving conditions.  

Response vehicles are built for response.  Your car, even if brand new, most likely can't do the same things that a police car / firetruck / ambulance can.  They have different brakes, tires, steering, suspension... Basically everything involved with handling is changed so that they can effectively respond to situations.

Emergency / response driving is nothing like normal driving.  Even an EVOC course won't prepare you for it.  It most definitely won't prepare someone who is under the age of 20 for it.  You need decision making skills that as a teen you have not yet developed.  You need to make split second decisions that will determine if you live or die, or if you kill a family of 6 or don't.

 

I'll say this as well...

Explorer SAR teams don't respond do situations as you think they do.  That's why they have professional teams, and firefighters who do it.

 

 

There's a reason you pay more for insurance than a majority of older people.  That reason is the same reason in which most states don't allow police officers under the age of 21, and that FD's won't let you drive until you are 18.

 

You, and everyone else under the age of 20 lack the decision making skills required to drive and effectively respond to an emergency.

Don't get your volunteer SAR ID, and think you can step it up to an emergency, if you get stopped i guarantee you'll get a ticket.

 

 

Would you be comfortable with an 84 year old driving an emergency response vehicle code 3 to a scene...

 

 

 

 

Last note:

No point in "driving fast" to help people.  If you get in an accident you can't help anyone.

 

Edited February 14, 201412 yr by rushlink

Hey guys im about to join an explorer program in oregon and its an actual emergency response team that has a academy. So my big question is do you think kids 16+ with a valid driver's license should be allowed to install red and white emergency lights and a siren to there personal car??

 

My opinion is: When you call 911 and say your lost,stuck out in the woods,hiking trip ended bad,stuck out in the water...ETC These all count as Code 3 emergency calls why call us in if we have to drive like normal people through heavy traffic to the station and wait for our team leader and other members? I mean so what there 16 Normal officers have to work there butts off to drive a patrol car why cant we do the same i dont mind doing code 3 driving training a few dozen times. Code 3 means life or death and if its so that we cant have any emergency lights or siren........Do not guarantee on us to rescue you on time so i want to hear your beliefs take into account on GTA lcpdfr when you get a shootout call do you drive normally to the station and slowy make your way to your assault rifle then rush to the call? SAR is a team the kids take the academy our deputies do some training but the kids kinda teach them they cant do it by there selfs if they could why would they ask for volunteers?? Thank you

 

No way! I live in Oregon, and was a Cadet for the Yamhill Co. Sheriff office for a few years. Imagine that.

 

Anyway, I disagree. My superior (who really was a cadet leader, in laymans terms, same age, just seniority) had his Jeep with Amber MX7000, a traffic advisory thing on the back and a PA system. That was the most we could do and I personally like it that way. We're learning, we're not the professionals yet.

 

I'll be 100% honest, if I had the choice between a bunch of cadets coming to help (If I was in danger) and they would get there in 10 minutes, or Search and Rescue and the police in 30, I'd take the extra 20 minutes and wait for the real guys.

 

We're kids, we're learning and kids make mistakes. I'm not going to let my mistake cost someone's life because I'm not trained like one of the employed officers.

 

 

EDIT: After reading this whole conversation, we're all just stating our opinions, no need to get aggressive with any of us. But I agree with pretty much everyone else here, it's impractical and just dangerous to give these youth in training this kind of responsibility. I went through just about every piece of training you listed, and I still wouldn't trust myself or my fellow cadets (no offence to those hardworking guys) with something that could become that serious (fatality or otherwise). We're not really prepared for that sort. 

Edited February 14, 201412 yr by Ringo4493

detroit if your trying to make your self as "mature" your very iggnorant and use vulgar language

 

Mature...nah.  Ignorant...maybe.  Vulgar...you bet.

 

DrDetroit

Of course, I don't know the ins and outs of the American system, but over here you need to be 18 to even be able to get a drivers license. Then, if you join any emergency service you'll have to pass multiple driving tests that, according to a few people from the fire department I know, suck ass (one of them actually failed it) and after that you still need to repeat the course every now and then to keep your certificate. Volunteer fire fighters aren't even allowed to have any sort of blue lights and/or sirens on their cars, as that is only allowed for emergency services. Also, we've got no such thing as an explorer program where you could learn the basics (or whatever you do with the program). Basically, I don't think as a 16-year-old you shouldn't be allowed to drive anything with lights and sirens, wether it's something 'unmarked' or a complete christmas tree.

To answer the question in the title: No. I'm in the process of taking my license, and seeing how poorly people drive, especially young people: No flipping way. Let the adults handle that. I do not want something like GTA IV Ambulance drivers coming to pick me up..

First, I want to point out that becoming an explorer is a very wise decision. It shows your maturity.

 

Regarding the topic though. As I have first-hand experience with driving code 3, I can tell you, it's not something you should take lightly. People react in very different ways (some people slam on the brakes, some swirve to the left or right,...) and that's what makes it so dangerous. On top of that, you're reaching speeds of 60-80 mph in places where you have to drive 20-30 mph tops to be able to notice everything like crossing children, bikes,... Running a red light for example sounds very easy but people who see green light don't have the tendency to slow down and don't look at the other side since they don't expect someone crossing.

Also, you'd be amazed at how many people actually hear your siren and see your lights. Many of the cars today are pretty noise resistant.

 

I'm currently 22 years old and I've had my driver license for a good few years now. Even I feel I don't have enough experience yet to be able to drive code 3 with full confidence. I'm sure it will grow with experience though.

So in short, I'm definitely against allowing 16 year olds to drive code 3. You just don't have enough life experience.

Edited February 14, 201412 yr by kjel0112

16-year-old going code 3 with lights and siren because they need to get to the scene faster? Why not give police cadets firearms just in case they'll need to confront an armed criminal (which they aren't supposed to do, actually...) Those age restrictions are there for a reason. Driving is already a great responsibility, and a vehicle is considered a deadly weapon by the police in some cases. Do you feel yourself alright to possess a weapon?