THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603210177
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MILES DANIELS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
CONGESTED STREETS and intersections will no longer delay some Pasquotank and Camden county emergency vehicles rushing to accident scenes.
Thanks to a new system that allows ambulances to control traffic lights at key intersections, officials expect smoother sailing on emergency runs.
All five ambulances operating in the two counties were equipped with the ``Priority Control System'' last month.
The system allows drivers of emergency vehicles to control lights at five intersections. The driver can activate the system through a switch inside the vehicle.
The system sends a signal to each equipped intersection, ensuring a series of green lights for the ambulance and returning operations to normal as soon as the vehicle has passed.
The result is that accident risk to motorists, pedestrians and people on board the emergency vehicles is greatly reduced, said Dean Schaan, director of Pasquotank-Camden Emergency Medical Services.
``One of the main advantages to having this system is that it provides a smooth flow of traffic,'' Schaan said. ``There have been fender-benders in the past because of backed-up traffic. This will help eliminate this.''
The Pasquotank-Camden EMS proposed buying the $33,000 system last year under a five-year lease plan. Fire officials also presented a proposal, but funding was not available.
Pasquotank County Manager Randy Keaton said Opticom, the company that supplied the system, made a convincing presentation to county officials. Many larger cities have been using similar systems for years.
``We saw the advantages and decided to purchase the system,'' Keaton said. ``It's very dangerous for emergency vehicles when intersections are highly congested. This creates the potential for additional accidents.
``Now, with this new system, our emergency vehicle can proceed safely through these areas.''
Under the Priority Control System, an emitter mounted on the emergency vehicle sends a frequency coded message to a detector on the traffic signal.
The detector converts the message to an electronic impulse and passes it on to the signal's ``phase selector,'' which controls light changes.
If the signal is already green, the pulse tells the phase selector to hold green until the emergency vehicle passes. Red lights will turn green on command, cycling through a yellow light to avoid confusion to motorists and pedestrians.
Once the emergency vehicle passes through the intersection, the system returns the signal to normal operation.
``Emergency vehicles no longer need to go around congested traffic by entering the opposite traffic lane or entering an intersection against a red light,'' Schaan said. ``Using the green light, backed-up traffic is able to clear the intersection for the approaching emergency vehicle. Any time we have a green light as opposed to red, time will be saved.''
Ambulance drivers have adjusted well to the new system, Keaton said.
``All of our drivers are really pleased with this system,'' Keaton said. ``We've had nothing but wonderful comments, and we're hoping that we can expand.''
The Pasquotank-Camden EMS is currently working on its budget proposal for next year, which will include a request to expand the system to five more intersections, Schaan said. MEMO: STOP AND GO
Ambulance drivers can control traffic signals at these intersections
in Elizabeth City:
Ehringhaus and Road streets
Ehringhaus Street and Halstead Boulevard
Halstead and Hughes Boulevards
Hughes Boulevard and North Road Street
North Road Street and the Albemarle Hospital exit. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
While ambulances in Pasquotank and Camden counties can help control
traffic signals when answering a call, funding for fire trucks is to
be considered in the future.
by CNB