What should I do if I hear a siren whilst driving?
If you encounter a fire appliance or other emergency vehicle using flashing lights and / or a siren, it is going to be an emergency. Follow the advice given in the highway code:
- do not panic
- consider the route of the emergency vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while obeying all traffic signs
- if necessary, pull over to the side of the road and stop, but do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians, and avoid mounting the kerb
- if you are in heavy traffic, stopping may prevent the emergency vehicle from passing. In this situation, it may be more helpful for you to continue moving until you find a more suitable place to pull over where the emergency vehicle can pass
If you are driving past the fire station, do not enter the yellow hatched area unless you can exit at the other side. You may block a fire appliance trying to exit on its way to an emergency.
If you are stopped at a red traffic light and a fire appliance is approaching behind you, do not proceed through the red light. Either wait until the signal changes to green or, if possible, pull to one side to enable the appliance to pass.
Parking considerately
You can help your community and the Fire and Rescue Service by parking considerately, especially in narrow streets.
Whenever you park, even temporarily, take a moment to make sure that a fire appliance would be able to pass your vehicle.
As a guide, a fire appliance requires a width of approximately 3.5 metres (10 feet) to pass.
Do not block fire hydrants
Fire hydrants are used by the Fire and Rescue Service to collect water from underground mains in an emergency. They are indicated by a small, square, yellow hydrant plate with a black 'H' and two numbers, usually located adjacent to the hydrant.
When parking your vehicle, you must ensure that you avoid blocking access to any nearby fire hydrants, otherwise you may be liable to prosecution under the Fire Service (Jersey) Law 1959.
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