JOEL TURNER
The Franklin News-Post
Reprinted with Permission

In the aftermath of the death of Rocky Mount Fire Chief Posey Dillon and firefighter Danny Altice, the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association has recommended that localities consider the installation of traffic devices that can change traffic lights from red to green to give emergency vehicles the right of way through intersections.

The association has recommended that cities and towns consider installing the traffic devices "especially at very busy intersections."

The fire chiefs have also recommended that "all emergency service agencies revisit and reinforce the seatbelt laws and policies."

Neither Dillon nor Altice was wearing a seatbelt when their fire truck crashed with another vehicle on July 26, state police said.

The state fire chiefs' organization has also recommended that fire departments with "vehicles not currently equipped with seatbelts be retrofitted with seatbelts."

Town Manager James Ervin said that all of the Rocky Mount Volunteer Fire Department vehicles now in use have seatbelts.

Ervin said the fire department personnel have initiated a review and study to determine if there will be a change in Rocky Mount's seatbelt policy to require seatbelts to be worn at all times.

The department has had a policy that firefighters would wear seatbelts as they saw fit, Ervin said.

"They are going to look at that policy and see if we need a new policy," he said.

Ervin said the seatbelt issue is more complex than it might appear at first glance, as the firefighters rush to board the fire trucks and head quickly to a fire with their equipment.

Dillon and Altice were killed on their way to a house fire when their fire engine collided with another vehicle at the Intersection of Old Franklin Turnpike and School Board Road.

The fire engine's flashing lights and siren were on, state police said, but the other vehicle had the green traffic light.

The pre-emptive traffic devices, which have been recommended by the state's fire chiefs, are mounted on traffic lights. The devices receive a signal from the emergency vehicles, making the light turn green for the emergency vehicles.

The devices are used in Roanoke and many other localities.

Several years ago, Dillon raised the possibility of Rocky Mount Installing the devices in the town. Dillon brought up the idea during budget talks, but some council members had concerns about the cost.

According to some online reports, the pre-emptive systems can cost more than $5,000 per intersection and $3,000 per vehicle.

Ervin said that town officials may discuss the installation of traffic pre-emptive devices that could change traffic lights to give emergency vehicles the right of way through intersections.

"It is fairly expensive. You would have to put the devices on the lights at every intersection," Ervin said. "But it is something that we could discuss."

The state fire chiefs' group has also recommended that all drivers of emergency vehicles "be qualified and certified to drive and reminded to always expect the unexpected."

The fire chiefs said that Dillon and Altice "made the ultimate sacrifice for their community."

They said that the organization's response and statement was intended to honor the two fallen firefighters by "recommending measures that may prevent other firefighter line of duty deaths."

Dillon and Altice "would want to do everything possible to protect their fellow firefighters," the fire chiefs said.

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