The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Wilmot Twsp. f/f kills civilian while respondig to M.V.C.
This incident occured in my former department(Ontario,Canada)and is currently reported on the Fire House web site. I was the former training officer and the individual involved was a rookie who joined after my retirement. Although I was not involved with this department I am still in touch. The department and f/f are being sued and someof the blame is said to be because the officers hadn't closed the road,even though they nad just arrived on the scene. I feel the cause was due to the f/f's inexperience,the adrenaline rush, and missguided enthusiasm. A LL INVOLVED ARE DEVASTATED ! We can all learn a lesson from this and please caution every member of your departments of the awsome responsibility we have when we respond to a call. I welcome all comments onthis tragic incident.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on
-
Roy,
Sometimes they get really excited, get tunnel vision. It is a very sad situation but one that may be a lesson for others. It proves the point that we try to drill into everyone's head that you have to be a responsible driver when responding to calls. The young man was probably looking at the incident and not paying attention to his surroundings. Since he was a firefighter, would really have stopped @ the top of the hill had there been a firetruck sitting there or was he trying to get closer to the incident? Thanks for pointing this article out I had missed it.
Jen
-
Permalink Reply by Scott S on
-
This is prime example why EVOC training should be required of everyone. Just being a firefighter doesn't give you the authority to run as if you're in an apparatus. I've seen to many volunteer firefighters abuse the priveledge to use any type of light whether it be blue, green, or red. It's sad that it will take an incident like this to teach departments in this area what may happen I'm sure none of them ever thought this would or could happen in their community. In no way am I saying this FF should be held at fault, since I don't know the details of the accident. I'm only expressing what I've seen and been a part of trying to stop in my own department. It's sad and hopefully the community can recover from this tragedy with little harm to the fire department and responders.
-
Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
-
Thanks for replying Jen your insite is exactly the same as mine. While I'm certain that he intended no harm' it just makes me wonder how anyone can teach the proper behaviour and short of riding with them insure that common sense is always followed. As you point out the truck position may not have helped either, but I wish some of you could see the sideshow the lawyers are putting on. They have found ways to blame people with minimal responsibilty and have made such ludicrous statements all in the quest for money.
Any way it certainly is causing our grief councilers to work overtime and putting a severe strain on the members. Again thanks for your view stay safe and spread the message as far as you can.
-
-
Good points Scott. I've seen aparatus operated dangerously as well and can't condon this behaviuor by anyone. Becoming part of the problem helps nobody but training can only demonstrate an accepted behaviour when adrenaline is not in the mix. The problem must require close supervision with tight corrective measures.Profiling would help but is cost prohibitive for a lot of departments. We have always insisted on doing driver's licence abstracts to evaluate past behaviour. The old addage of it can't happen to me is hard to dispell and especially for the younger menbers who may possess the feeling of invincability.
The department certainly took a heavy hit on this but now the lawyers are in the mix, and the indiscriminate amount of fault being found is second only to the amazing amount of simple solutions they provide. Those members strong enough to withstand the initial occurence are being brow beat to the point of being made to feel this was an intentional act commited by all.
The comunnity has been very supportive and if not for that I doubt the department would survive ,some key members have been lost and a lot of sole searching has been done by the remainder.
I sincerely hope no other department ever has to endure this kind of tragedy but I fear somewhere it will recurr. Scott please spread the word as best you can, we must endeavuor to prevent this from happening to anyone. Having seen first hand what this does to a proud and efficient department I ask everyone to please learn from this,don't find fault that is not my intention in starting this discussion rather learn from it
Thank you scott for your participation and take care of your family and brothers.
-
Permalink Reply by Rescue601 on
-
I only can go on the information that I have seen posted online, but he has been charged criminally for this incident after an investigation and reenactment. This is a reason why a lot of departments don't allow response via POV and/or bar firefighters from having lights in their POV's. Best of luck to all those involved.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
