| Editor's note: FireRescue1 Fire Operations columnist Fred LaFemina outlined measures to provide a reduced-risk operating area when responding to automobile fires and incidents in a column earlier this year. |
Orlando Sentinel (Florida)
Copyright 2007 Sentinel Communications Co.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A firefighter was injured Saturday on Interstate 4 when an 18-wheeler slammed into a Orange County Fire Rescue Department truck that had responded to an earlier crash.
The incident happened on westbound I-4 between Kennedy Boulevard and Lee Road about 2:30 a.m. when a tractor-trailer lost control in the rain and hit a guardrail. Fire crews arrived to clean up the fuel spill from the accident and blocked two lanes of traffic with a fire engine as required by their safety policy.
A second truck — pulling two trailers — then hit the fire engine. A firefighter was in the cab of the struck vehicle but was only slightly injured and finished working the shift, said fire department spokesman John Mulhall.
"This incident shows the importance of our policy to protect our firefighters working accident scenes," said Battalion Chief Vince Preston. "It also shows the danger firefighters face on every call, not just the fires. I hope this serves as a reminder to drivers to slow down in poor weather and stay safe."
State law requires that motorists move over when approaching stopped emergency vehicles with flashing lights. If it's impossible to keep an empty lane between your vehicle and the emergency vehicles, then you must slow down to 20 mph below the posted limit.
