Each day, Sunstar Paramedics must safely navigate through congested Pinellas County roads to respond to emergencies and transport patients to area hospitals. Seconds count, and arriving safety is a top priority.

WFLA NewsChannel 8 reporter Lindsey Mastis wanted to know what Sunstar Paramedics face each day on Pinellas County roads, and how drivers should react when lights and sirens appear in their view.

A WFLA camera rode with Sunstar paramedic Matthew Douglass and EMT Julia Watson capture footage of drivers responding to the lights and sirens of the ambulance. Sunstar supervisor Leroy Funderburk and community outreach coordinator Charlene Cobb, along with several other Sunstar team members, shared their experiences in driving an ambulance, how Sunstar’s training prepares employees for driving safely, and tips for drivers to  safely react to emergency vehicles.

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In addition, Mastis experienced the training that Sunstar employees receive in learning to safely drive  ambulances. Instructors drove the course with Mastis to explain why each training maneuver is used on the course, and how it relates to responding to incidents and transporting patients. She even got behind the wheel of a Sunstar ambulance on its emergency vehicle operations course (EVOC) training course to experience how difficult it can be to maneuver and quickly stop the large vehicle.

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Florida drivers should pull to the closest curb – left or right – to make way for an emergency vehicle. If you can’t find a safe place to pull over, stay in your lane, and slowly come to a stop until the emergency vehicle passes. For more tips on how to safely react to ambulances on the roadway, see “Sharing the road with emergency vehicles.”