RE: [californiadisasters] Incident in Westchester : Belford Avenue and Airpor...

Sorry, not true.  There is no such endorsement in CA.

 

Emergency vehicle driving techniques is a required part of POST education, but is not a part of any law for all emergency drivers.  Ambulance drivers, fire department drivers and judges (who are also authorized to drive ‘Code three’ because they say they are) are not required to have any certificate other than an appropriate license (Class A/B with tank endorsements, FD endorsement or a Class C [with ambulance driver endorsement]).  None of the endorsement cover emergency driving technique except ambulance.  The DMV is more concerned about weight, load shift (tank/trailer) and stopping distances.

 

POST is only a requirement of current sworn LE personnel (and only those expected to make an arrest in the course of their career, CSI’s may or may not be able to arrest regardless of the TV shows, that’s agency dependent).  Most in the fire career won’t ever get it, except those actively involved in the upper levels of arson investigation and similar enforcement (fire marshall) and then it isn’t full POST, but a subset.  The training is time consuming, expensive and many agencies expect applicants to already have that done at the time of application (LE folks) because they don’t want to (can’t) foot that bill.

 

However, any responsible department will offer and usually require some form of (continuing) driver education and documentation of that training, if only for CYA of the agency.  THAT is where the state laws covering code three driving are taught, impressed and tested for employees.  An agency written procedure has the effect of LAW in a court of law.  If one violates policy, that person is hanging in the breeze in court.

 

All that aside, EVOC is a hoot.  Where else can you learn how slide, drift and recover on slick roads (well, there was one time that my mother never knew about involving her car and a large patch of ice when I was 16, yee haw!) and otherwise drive too fast or on the edge (beside most CA freeways)?  If offered an EVOC class, take it, besides learning what you can’t safely learn on the street, it’s a rush.  And it might save your life some day, or that of others.

 

By the way, fire engines slip and slide like any other vehicle, but usually react more slowly and with a higher pucker factor (big, heavy and way expensive).  Platter sized eyes, extract the butt vinyl later and it takes weeks for the smile to fade after the class.  But the lessons are valid and serious as well as important.  Some things can’t be taught behind a desk in a classroom.

 

Rick

 

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From: newnethboy

* In CA, anyone who operates an emergency vehicle (who ever goes
lights-and-siren, or who operates a vehicle capable of going
lights-and-siren) is required to have an emergency vehicles endorsement on
his/her driver's license, and I believe completion of an EVOC (Emergency
Vehicle Operation Course) is a pre-requisite. Cops are required to have more
training.

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