Fire engine held up on 999 call due to 'thoughtless' parking in Northampton

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service are urging people across the county to think about access for the emergency services when parking their vehicles, particularly in highly populated areas or areas with narrow roads.

Crews from Mereway Fire Station were out and about at the weekend distributing leaflets to residents, following their attendance at an incident where their arrival was delayed due to thoughtless parking.

Thankfully the incident was not a life threatening one, but losing valuable seconds travelling to an incident could have potentially devastating consequences.

Ashley Tugby, Station Manager at Mereway Fire Station, said: ”We appreciate that in some areas it is difficult to find parking, but please think before you park to avoid obstructing access for the emergency services, as taking time to negotiate parked vehicles could potentially be putting lives at risk.”

The Highway Code states that you should ‘NOT stop or park anywhere you would prevent access for the emergency service’ so it is imperative to consider where you park especially when you know that a regular fire engine is approximately 8.3 metres long by 2.5 metres wide.

Follow a few simple guidelines to help the fire service respond quickly to incidents:

> Do not park within 10 meters of a junction

> Do not park on a bend

> Do not park on a footpath

> Do not obstruct residents’ driveways or garages

> Do not double park

> Do not park on a dropped kerb

> Park as close to the kerb as possible

> Straighten wheels and consider wing mirrors