B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Type 1112
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
We landed 22L and exited on taxiway November. There was a long 'train' of emergency vehicles driving south on taxi P as an emergency aircraft was landing behind us. Tower told us to taxi N hold short 22R emergency vehicles holding for you. They all appeared to be stopped. This exit is a 135 degree angle and from my seat I quickly lost sight of them; but as I saw them last; they all were stopped. Very shortly thereafter my First Officer told me to stop. I did without question and a large fire truck went racing past us at intersection of N and P. I never saw fire truck until he was passing in front. I have no doubt had my First Officer not been continuously looking out to the right watching the emergency vehicles a collision would have occurred. I voiced my displeasure on Tower frequency that we nearly collided. Tower gave us a number to call. After parked and checklist complete I called Tower and I explained I was not upset with them at all; but that the fire truck ignored instructions and raced past us. He said the Port Authority monitors frequencies and called due to my comments and asked if a collision would have happened if we did not stop. I replied most likely. He said they would be filing paperwork and I advised I would be filing [a safety report]. I thanked him for the great work they do.
Boeing 757 Captain reported an urgent stop for an emergency vehicle that had been advised by ATC to hold for the aircraft to move.