A firefighter fatality along an S.C. interstate highlights the need for clearly defined standard operating procedures specific to roadway emergencies, according to a NIOSH report.
Firefighter Chance Hyatt Zobel, 23, was killed as he was responding to a brush fire Nov. 13, 2010. Firefighter Larry Irvin was injured in the crash.
Firefighter Zobel’s engine as well as a quint were dispatched to the scene, according to the report released Feb. 6. The engine pulled into the passing lane and parked next to the median to provide a protected work area for the firefighters. The quint then parked next to the engine near the guardrail, creating a traffic block.
A car and a van were both driving in the passing lane toward the parked fire truck when the van rear-ended the car. The car traveled onto the shoulder, passed between both apparatus and the guardrail, and then hit the two firefighters, who were both wearing retro-reflective vests.
Firefighter Zobel was launched onto the road shoulder, the report said. Fellow firefighters began emergency care immediately. He was taken to a local trauma center, where he was pronounced dead.
Troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol charged the driver of the van with driving too fast for conditions.
As a result of the fatality, NIOSH investigators recommended that fire departments, in conjunction with public safety agencies, traffic management organizations and private sector responders develop pre-incident plans regarding response protocols, scene safety, and traffic control for roadway emergency work zones. NFPA 1620 provides guidance to assist fire departments in establishing them.
Investigators also recommended developing, training on and enforcing standard operating procedures for all types, locations and durations of emergency roadway incidents. Special attention should be giving to positioning apparatus to protect workers from oncoming traffic.
“The department involved in this incident had a SOP on roadway operations that was revised following the incident to incorporate more definitive guidance on methods to protect emergency responders who are attending to a roadway incident,” the report said.
Another key recommendation calls for developing and training members on a situational awareness program that addresses hazards specific to roadways. The fatality emphasizes the need to prepare for the worst-case scenario when working near traffic.
“Regardless of implemented prevention strategies, unpredictable events can occur within minutes of arriving on the scene, and danger is always present when operating in roadway emergency work zones where moving traffic is present,” the report said.