Motorists are being urged by National Ambulance Centre executives to stop tailgating their emergency crews in a bid to beat traffic queues.
They say the selfish actions are putting their staff in danger and are more likely to cause more accidents.
It is common courtesy for drivers to move aside when they spot ambulances and fire crews flashing their blue lights in their rear-view mirrors … but a few drivers take advantage to beat traffic queues by racing up behind the emergency vehicles.
“Skilled ambulance drivers, who are certified by the General Directorate of Traffic, are able to drive between cars in a hurry while also keeping the occupants of other vehicles around them safe,” said the National Ambulance Centre head Major Mohamed Alnashmi while speaking on the Interior Ministry’s Al Amn podcast. “However, sometimes there are cars that tailgate us, which is such a shame because it can cause so much more harm.
“For example, these tailgaters don’t know when the ambulance is going to hit the brakes which can cause an accident in itself.”
When it comes to answering an SOS call from the public it is essential emergency crews reach the scene of accidents on the roads or in homes as every second can count when it comes to saving lives.
The National Ambulance Centre of the Interior Ministry, linked to three hospitals and 12 centres, urges people to help make their jobs of keeping everyone safe by adopting a more caring and courteous attitude whilst driving.
If you see or hear them, pull over and allow them to pass unhindered.
“Sometimes the ambulance needs to run a red light to get to an injured individual in need,” Maj Alnashmi added. “We have faced a situation where one ambulance chaser followed the emergency response vehicle as they ran a red light and ended up getting involved in an accident too.
“Instead of that ambulance going to its designated destination to help someone, the ambulance had to turn back to assist the tailgater.
“The National Ambulances do have many difficulties to overcome, such as getting to the location in time, so we also need to encourage people to communicate properly in times of need.”
Usually, the hospital or centre closest to the site of emergency will respond to an SOS call to ensure an ambulance reaches the scene at the earliest possible time. Medical services can be set-aside for each patient before a crew is despatched thanks to an on-hand skilled call agent providing relevant information to the crews.
Although traumatised when people contact the emergency services, it is essential they try to keep clear and cool.
Difficulty
“Sometimes, the person calling in will be shouting that he needs an ambulance while the operator is still trying to get details while at the same time trying to calm the person down,” explained Maj Alnashmi.
“The person though will just keep yelling and this is a difficulty that we face in getting as much information as possible to analyse the medical situation.”
Often the crews have to think on their feet and local knowledge can prove essential.
“We had that happen with an old man out riding,” the major added. “He fell off the horse and was alone and didn’t know where he was, except that he was in an area where there were stables.
“After communicating with the injured party, we managed to dispatch the paramedics to the correct spot to help, stabilised him and then took him to the closest hospital.”
He added that the National Ambulance Centre also works closely with various Interior Ministry entities such as the Civil Defence or Coastguard on a series of scenarios including suicides, brawls, fires, building collapses, pool drownings and accidents at sea.
Those who wish to use the ambulance’s emergency service can do so by contacting the ministry’s toll-free operations room at 999 that offers services in several languages including Arabic, English, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi and French.
People can call the centre in case of emergencies such as traffic accidents, cardiac incidents, burns, psychiatric cases and neonatal concerns.
Callers should provide their name, phone number, details of the incident and full address.
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