The standby light tanker you are driving has become bogged in heavy sand. It has a yellow painted recovery point. How would you recover this vehicle?
Yellow painted points fitted are rated for Towing/Winching Out Only
and Must Not Be Snatch Recovered at any time.
Must inform IMT that it requires tow.
If the driver of an emergency vehicle drives at a speed that is unsafe for the conditions and accident occurs, what offence could they be charged for and under what regulation?
Regulation 18 - Reckless Driving
What five (5) conditions should be considered when determining a safe speed of travel?
- Weather
- Traffic
- Road surface
- Vehicle ability
- Visibility
In your own words explain what Regulation 60 of the Road Traffic Code 2000 means?
Keep clear and out of the way of Police and Emergency Vehicles - By this, drivers should give way or as safely as possible leave an uninterrupted pass for emergency vehicles.
When proceeding to an incident, both beacons and sirens should be operated. However, the current SOP allows the use of beacons only under certain circumstances. What are they?
- Driving to a non emergency situation (light traffic)
- Final Approach to an incident
- Parked at an incident
- Operating on the fire ground
You have arrived at a road crash rescue incident in a 70km/h zone and are responsible for setting up the road traffic control signs and road cones. Using a diagram, indicate the following (including distances)?
- Position of appliance; Fend off position (30-45 degrees).
- Position of road cones; Spread 30m from front of Pump to rear.
- Position of road traffic control sign; D=2xS (140m).
- Position of road traffic control sign (opposite side of road); D=2xS.
(DIAGRAM DOES NOT NEED TO BE TO SCALE)
For each of the situations identified below, indicate the distance that is relevant when parking the appliance under normal conditions?
- Within of fire hydrant
- Within of public letter box
- Within of controlled intersection
- Within of uncontrolled intersection
- Within on the approach & 10m on the departure side of school/pedestrian crossing or bus stop.
- Within on approach or departure side of a railway crossing
When driving in an off road situation you become stalled on a steep incline. Outline the procedure you would follow to recover the vehicle?
- Allow engine to stall out IN GEAR, put foot on brake
- Apply park brake and turn ignition and air conditioner off (with hand on steering wheel)
- Stop and think. Assess the situation, get out and have a look if need be, go through in your mind what you plan to do
If you get out of the vehicle to assess the situation, on returning to the vehicle ensure you put your foot back on the brake - Select 4WD low range reverse gear. If possible, engage the gear without using the clutch
- If you are unable to select reverse gear, slowly depress the clutch, once the gear has been selected release the clutch and place your foot on the floor.
- Check the gear is engaged, release the park brake and then slowly release the foot brake. If the vehicle is correctly in gear, the vehicle will not move
- Fully release the foot brake
- Place both feet on the floor of the vehicle
- CHECK BEHIND - SAFETY CHECK
- Start engine with vehicle in gear
- Control excess speed by gentle application of the brakes. Do not lock the wheels
You are entering a sector at a bushfire with your light tanker and will be required to use 4wd due to boggy sand. What is the maximum speed that four wheel drive may be engaged?
Must be less than 25km/h.
Whilst travelling off road, you are required to engage Low range 4wd to navigate through some difficult terrain. Outline the procedure to be followed when changing from H4 to L4 in a light tanker?
- Stop vehicle
- Depress the clutch
- Lift up the transfer case level and move lever fully backwards through the neutral position, select gear and move off
Before negotiating an off road hazard, what should the drivers first three (3) considerations be?
- Do I need to go there?
- Is the vehicle capable of going there?
- Am I capable of driving the vehicle there?
What does Regulation 284 give exemption for and when does it apply?
General exemptions from seatbelt provisions;
The drivers and passengers of fire fighting vehicles when engaged in fire fighting activity; Firefighters travelling on outside of vehicles.
Emergency vehicles are permitted to pass along a one way street in the wrong direction, but only under certain circumstances. What are they?
When travelling to the incident in the correct path would cause undue delay.
In what position are the freewheeling hubs on DFES Light tankers kept and under what circumstances can they be changed?
Locked on operational vehicles at all times. It is permissible for hubs on vehicles on long delivery trips to be unlocked.
Briefly describe the three (3) rules of braking?
- Brake only whilst travelling straight, not on a bend or whilst turning.
- Vary brake pressure according to the road surface.
- When descending a steep winding hill, brake firmly on the straight stretches and as lightly as possible on the curves.
You are driving to an incident under emergency conditions. What factors contribute to skidding should they not be taken into account?
- Excessive speed in corners
- Harsh or jerky steering
- Hard acceleration
- Excessive braking
When driving off road, what conditions may warrant the use of a controller?
- Driving in long grass
- Basic recovery
- Blind spots
- Obstacles
- Terrain
- Safety
How does the braking system of a light tanker differ from that of a pump and how should each system be checked during a pre-drive/cabin drill?
