I can understand them keeping the engines running for emergencies and quick response but NOT when the driver is just talking a nice comfortable snooze!!!! Are they hiding out and sleeping on the job!!? That's what I see quite often when they idle between washington and ellsworth sts and 17th!!!

Nick,

Thanks for your response and the information. It is hard to believe that ambulances are exempt from all parts of all idling ordinances. I have also been unable to find information to verify this online. Can you please point me in the right direction? Surely, there must be a clear set of rules available to the public somwhere out there.

Anonymous User,

Thanks for taking an interest in the issue on my block :) There are ambulances near the outpatient clinic where I live that idle for good reasons. However, there are all too often occasions where the driver is seeking comfort from unpleasant weather during their breaks. And most often, when I ask them to stop idling, they just move their vehicle to another spot. It makes me wonder if they ever turn off their engine during their shift.

Great Job Ho-Yin Li . keep em coming and your problem solving skills work. You shared good info, i needed it and community as well, thanks

Great Job Ho-Yin Li . keep em coming and your problem solving skills work. You shared good info, i needed it and community as well, thanks

Although it would be nice to think that ambulance idling issues on our block have been addressed and resolved, I feel that it is premature to close this issue. I will continue to report further instances of ambulance idling, and keeping those issues opened, until the issue is definitively resolved.

Further, since the medical facility across the street is not an emergency medical facility, the ambulances that normally visit the building are not emergency vehicles, but just medical transports. They should not be afforded any privelege that may be extended to emergency transports.

If one visits any of the hositals in the area, it will be evident that strict non-idling laws are enforced by that institution. The medical building at 1740 South should be held to the same standard, especially since they are a non-emergency facility. As it is, instead of being proactive about enforcing idling laws, many of the security guards have tried to make excuses for the transport drivers.

I agree, keep the reports coming

I manage an ambulance operation in and around Philadelphia. Often times the route of this problem is poor consumer education. There are around 100 ambulance companies in the city but they are all very different. Our company has a "green" policy. One of the aspects of this policy is a requirement for drivers to shut off trucks regardless of where they are. Our service began "green" practices this year and the response is great. Social workers and patients need to be taught how to select the proper company. There are probably 5 simple questions you can ask a company in order to discover what type of service they really are. Ask the ambulance dispatcher what their environmental care policy is and that will tell you what to expect from them.

et186, please get the word out about SCF as we are advocates for clean air. We will be relentless in our tracking of the NON Green companies and companies as a whole...are you sure your drivers are respecting your green policy???

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