Qualms About Calming

In June, 1999, the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association resolved to align itself with other emergency care responder unions that oppose speed bumps, road-narrowing and barricades on city streets. Following that resolution, Peterborough city council, at the urging of fire fighters and emergency responders, voted 8-2 to stop installing traffic calming devices on city streets.

In the U.S., some fire departments say that if traffic calming devices are not removed, they can no longer guarantee response times. Some cities have placed a moratorium on speed bumps in response to concerns of fire fighters and other emergency medical staff. The National Motorists Association is also against the devices.

Two 1999 incidents in the Ottawa area show how traffic calming devices can compromise safety:

A fire fighter struck his head on the roof of the cab as his truck crosses a speed bump while racing to an emergency and was off for three weeks.
Traffic calming barricades impeded access to a burning building, forcing fire fighters to ram their truck through iron posts to fight the blaze. The fire destroyed the building, leaving 12 people homeless.

Similar incidents, plus increased vehicle maintenance costs, have led emergency responders to oppose the devices.

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