Every single time we run a road safety program, and we stress using seatbelts, inevitably I get at least a handful of responders saying...."But I caaaaan't wear my seatbelt....it a.) takes too long to get on b.) doesn't fit around my turnout gear "

Let's review: A.) It takes too long to put on? It doesn't take any time at all to be dead though, does it? Especially after you've been ejected from a rolling pumper tanker and it's now laying on top of you. Is your rig only slowing…

We ran another "CSI, New York: Crash Scene Investigation" class tonight at Verdoy Fire Department in Latham, NY (aka the "Taj Mahal" of Upstate NY) {thanks to Chief Dave Leonardo for giving up other plans to stay onsite and assist FASNY after the onsite Verdoy coordinator had a conflict} --

The class is a focused look at emergency services operators injured or killed while responding to a call or while on scene. During a discussion about scene staging, one of our attendees wanted to…

First responders are killing themselves, one seatbelt at a time.

Like lemmings drawn to the edge of a precipice, firefighters, EMT's, Fire police and other emergency responders are engaged in a race to the death, literally. Rollovers, ejections,blunt force trauma, crush victims, decapitations.....do I have your attention yet? We talk about how to do the job better and faster, and the volunteer services in particular seem to feel the compulsion to defend or justify their efforts vs.…

Someone on this site mentioned how dangerous the driving public's refusal to yield to emergency vehicles has become. He then commented that perhaps it's time for OFPC to distribute a public service announcement reminding drivers that they must yield the road to an emergency vehicle using lights and sirens.

(See Section 1144 of the Vehicle & Traffic Law in NYS)

We know what John Q.…