Why would an ambulance have blue lights but no sirens on

[Hiyanice]

Saw an ambulance on my street it arrived with blue lights but no sirens. Is there a reason for this?

@TheUnexpectedPickle

Your colleagues were absolutely phenomenal. We were (and remain) eternally grateful. Its coming up to a year and not a day goes by when I don't think of the people who tried, so valiantly, to help mum.

And yes that does make sense, thanks for your explanation. Of course you aren't just going to plonk someone in the back of the ambulance and hope they make the journey

I actually find things like this fascinating, as ghoulish as that sounds. To know the workings and rationale behind certain things does help with the grieving process.

we had three fire engines turn up last year because we had a pretty bad house fire and they came with lights and sirens but it was the middle of the afternoon and i live near a busy roundabout and just round the corner from a frequent bus route. We heard them coming before we saw them!

@PlanDeRaccordement
So, a DNAR does complicate matters. Generally speaking, we will do everything to avoid taking a person with a DNAR to hospital as that is usually against their wishes. If they are clearly at the end of their life when they arrive, we will stay and support that process (make them comfortable with drugs)

In the case of expected death, If they have died, either warm or cold, we will leave the patient for the GP and undertaker to deal with. The coroner isn't involved and they don't go to the mortuary, they go straight into the care of the undertaker.

If the death is unexpected and we are not working on the patient or stopping work, we will also leave them on scene. The police come to act on behalf of the coroner, they examine the patient and arrange for transport to the mortuary. This is not ever done in a front line ambulance, for lots of reasons, the chief one being that you can't just turn up at a mortuary, you have to be expected.

If the patient has a DNAR and dies on the way to hospital, we obviously will not work on them, but will take them in to A&E. From there they will either go to the hospital mortuary, the public mortuary or to an undertaker. (Most likely straight to the undertaker)

Caveat: I am only speaking for London Ambulance Service and SECAMB. But I doubt it is too different elsewhere. The Quora article is incorrect regarding LAS and SECAMB though.

@PlanDeRaccordement that will be because there is a consultant doctor on board the air ambulance who can certify death.

I'm very sorry for your loss

Actually we do take people to the mortuary- years ago we took anyone from a private house where there was no one to take charge, the police take charge of these now.
Nowadays, mostly if it's in public place but not suspicious. I transported a body to the morgue a few weeks ago after we called a resus in a public place.
But no sirens or blue lights for those journeys.

@PlanDeRaccordement sorry again, also airports are served by private ambulance services affiliated to the NHS, but are not front line (as in, do not attend calls outside the airport) so it is likely it was one of them.

If it was front line, which I doubt, there would have to be an agreement from much higher up than me. I'd have to say no.

I probably just don’t know difference between front line ambulance and non front line ambulance? All I know it was definitely an ambulance at the U.K. airport and they took my relative to the hospital morgue because although the police attended, the coroner hadn’t assigned a funeral director.

I've been told there are no sirens when the patient is a heart attack victim. I seem to remember they gave a very good explanation but can't remember what it was.

Sirens are only used in traffic or when approaching a junction/roundabout etc.

Drivers approaching the junction from other sides won't see the lights until they're at the junction, sirens give advanced notice

@Hellocatshome just wait at the light as usual. The driver should stop ans turn at least the siren off if you have nowhere to go. They should not be forcing you through, and you have every right to ignore them if they try. Clearly stated in the highway code so don't ever put yourself in danger

[quote TheUnexpectedPickle]@PlanDeRaccordement that will be because there is a consultant doctor on board the air ambulance who can certify death.

I'm very sorry for your loss [/quote]
Thank you for saying that.
I see we picked up on the “front line ambulance” distinction at the same time. .

I always think that it means an extremely ill and delicate person is being transported

@Crunchymum I'm so glad to hear that.

It is good to be interested in death and the end of life process. It destygmatises it and makes it much less scary

I had to have an ambulance and police escort to the hospital to have ds, the blue lights were continual but like pps have said the sirens were only switched on when they needed traffic to move out of the way

@PlanDeRaccordement mystery solved!!

Sorry again for your loss, must have been a difficult time

@RunningAlong definitely not correct. Heat attack patients get the whole shebang. Time very much of the essence!

@Miyiam nope, the more ill yiu are, the more chance of having the sirens on. It is 100% to do with traffic conditions

@RunningAlong

I've been told there are no sirens when the patient is a heart attack victim. I seem to remember they gave a very good explanation but can't remember what it was.

This is absolutely not true.

Anyone having a confirmed M.I (or heart attack) needs to be in hospital, not stuck in a traffic jam.

Unfortunately I've had to call an ambulance a couple of times at night for DH in the last few years and they've always arrived with blue lights on, but thankfully no sirens to wake up the neighbours . Sirens are only used to move drivers out of the way surely?

@winesolveseverything that's interesting! In LAS its an absolute NO on transporting a body. We would wait for police, even in a public place. I suppose maybe if we had special permission? But even then I've never seen it. What service are you?

I know they used to back in the day, my dad was an ambulance man as they were then from the 80s and later became a paramedic when they came in. He used to love going to the mortuary when it was still part of their duty. Always got a tea and a sandwich or cake off the mortuary techs!

One went through a crosshead at a red light with no sirens on (you can't see what's coming as there are buildings on every side) and they crashed right into the side of my friends car.

[quote TheUnexpectedPickle]@winesolveseverything that's interesting! In LAS its an absolute NO on transporting a body. We would wait for police, even in a public place. I suppose maybe if we had special permission? But even then I've never seen it. What service are you?

I know they used to back in the day, my dad was an ambulance man as they were then from the 80s and later became a paramedic when they came in. He used to love going to the mortuary when it was still part of their duty. Always got a tea and a sandwich or cake off the mortuary techs![/quote]
Not LAS! Bit further to the west.
Been going 20 years now- I've seen a lot of changes! I miss the good old days.

My DP is a paramedic so I just asked him a bunch of these questions.

1. when they are outside someone's house they leave the engine ticking over so the battery doesn't die and the radio etc still works. The setting for this is known as "run lock" and automatically keeps the lights on but not the siren.

2. if someone is legally declared dead in an ambulance then it becomes a crime scene and needs to be taken off the road, so they try to avoid doing this unless it's absolutely necessary. Obviously this only relates to the legal formalities. People technically die in ambulances regularly.

Sirens are switched on to alert other road users that they need to move aside.

@winesolveseverything thats super interesting, in London the coroner would have an absolute shit fit if we moved a body. Plus we'd end up off the road for hours and possibly have the vehicle impounded.
I wonder if its because you have less police? Interesting to know anyway!

I've only done 8 years- still a fresh faced newbie (I bloody wish!). 15 years in the NHS though. So many grey hairs