What should you do if an intersection is blocked by other responding units?

• A. Stop, reassess, and adjust your route to maintain safety and avoid gridlock.
• B. Push through the intersection anyway to save time.
• C. Stop and wait for the other units to move.
• D. U-turn and go back to base.

Answer: (A)

When an intersection is blocked by other responding units, the priority is to keep everyone safe and keep traffic moving smoothly. Slow down and, if necessary, stop to reassess the situation. Look for a clear, safe alternate route that won’t create gridlock or put you into a tight squeeze with other emergency vehicles. Use radio communications to coordinate with the incident scene so you know which streets are viable and when it’s safe to proceed. Then adjust your route accordingly and proceed along a path that preserves access for responding units and reduces risk of collision or congestion.

Pushing through the blocked intersection would create a high collision risk and worsen the gridlock. Simply stopping and waiting without adjusting your route can waste time and still leave you stuck or blocking cross-traffic. Turning around to go back to base is inefficient and unnecessary when a safe detour is available.