"They really put our lives in danger:" In emergency situations, more drivers are getting in the way of first responders

It could mean life or death. First responders say drivers aren't pulling over when the sirens and lights go on.

It's a law, however, some drivers are ignoring the warning signs when every second counts.

"Officially, I was dead."

One distraction may have killed Mora Glavan. Doctors saying she would have died if emergency responders got to her one minute later.

"I just fell over." Glavan suddenly collapsed from a heart issue while working at Mitchell Airport. Her husband Jeff's firehouse responded to the scene on his day off.

"They knew it was my wife."

When the sirens roar, every second counts, and responders across Milwaukee say that more people are getting in their way.

"It happens so often that we encounter bad drivers, it's almost expected."

CBS 58's Whitney Martin spent several days riding with District 13 in Milwaukee which is the busiest fire station in Wisconsin. This is just an example of the obstacles they face - fire engines forced to swerve into oncoming traffic, dodging cars, drivers not pulling over to the right like the law requires while others appear to freeze, stopping in the middle of a busy intersection.

"This car right here will see the police and yield while that car almost collided with a squad."

"It can be very problematic to get around vehicles when no one is pulling over."

Milwaukee police are fighting the same battle. Dash cam video shows the distraction.

"They really put our lives in danger." After four crashes this year, Curtis Ambulance is now adding cameras to their emergency vehicles. A car was recently totaled after being t-boned by an ambulance. Company officials say the car's driver completely ignored the lights and sirens. 

Fire crews have 60 seconds to get out the door and on the road once a 911 call is made. Glavan says she's living proof that every second counts.

Crews are now writing down license plates so that police will go after the drivers. 

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office has handed out nearly 40 'failure to yield' citations over the last year.