Monday, January 5, 2009

Accident Prevention?



Of the four LODDs so far this year, (and it is only Jan 5th), three are vehicle related. Two are apparently related to traveling too fast for conditions, the other lack of situational awareness. In addition to those killed several firefighters are in the hospital after being struck while working on scene and after a tender rollover. Being killed in the line of duty doesn't necessarily make you a hero; often, it is just the opposite.

1 comment:

  1. As a prior FF for Dist 3. I know how you can get tunnel vision. You get the page if you are at the station probably woken up from a nice sleep. Try to understand what the dispatcher is saying and then if your a pumper into the driver seat you go. If you are the only one there you feel like you are waiting forever for that next person to show. You have probably done a walk around, Right! Then if your lucky might be your officer in the officer's seat or maybe its a FF but who cares lets get going. Then the fun part you hit the lights and start blasting the horn and siren. Because if you have to be up, everyone else should too. You know where you are going cause you looked it up in the map book or you hope the person in the passenger seat knows, ahh right. So your off slamming the accelator down and adrenaline is going. There's a car ahead but you have lights and siren he'll move, right.. He's not moving doesn't he know who you are, can't he see the lights and hear the siren. Get out the way idiot your thinking. There's a blind hill coming up but I have lights and siren who would be out at this hour. Go ahead make the pass. Oh I forgot to tell you it just started raining hard. So you start to make the pass then your vehicle begins to slide maybe I should not of done this. Oh I forgot about that 700 gals of water that is sloshing around in the tank. Now your past the hill, the person ahead of you finally pulls over. So whoosh around him you go, but you over correct and end up off the road and now stuck. The house is still burning but you are not going anywhere. This is a real life story by a FF in Gulf Port Mississippi. He told this story, luckily no one got hurt but they lost the house. Since I have become a Deputy there's a lot to think about when your running code. Lights and sirens are great but you have to still respect the vehicle you are driving and it's capabilities. I now drive a patrol car and much different than a Fire Engine. The one thing I remember when I turn on those lights no matter how hot the call is. "If I don't get there I can't help." I will tell you just like everything else you do in the Fire Service that is phrase you should never forget. Be safe. 208:)

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