Fire/EMS animosity could have been fatal

[HERBIE1]

This is just plain stupid. An entire fire company, EMS crew, and an innocent driver could have died because of stupidity.

Firetruck forces ambulance off road on way to Hunterdon County accident

Posted on 18 September 2009

HUNTERDON COUNTY, N.J. – A firetruck responding to a car crash call in Hunterdon County illegally passed an ambulance headed to the same wreck, forcing the ambulance into a ditch when the truck swerved to avoid an oncoming car, an ambulance official said.

Now the president of the Quakertown Volunteer EMS is calling two members of his squad "heroes" after the accident involving a Quakertown ambulance and a Quakertown Fire Company truck, both of which were responding to a one-car crash on Sidney Road.

He credited their training and quick response for preventing the accident from becoming

"what could have been a huge disaster."

Peter Colby, 27, was driving and Laurie Luster was a passenger in the ambulance shortly after midnight Saturday when "they were illegally passed (by the fire truck) in a no-passing zone on Quakertown Road," president David Evans said.

Colby and Luster are employees of the Quakertown squad.

"To avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming car, the fire truck forced the… ambulance off the road into a ditch. The oncoming car was also forced off the road,"

Evans said.

It is fortunate that the ambulance landed in the ditch, because it kept the rig from flipping over and prevented it from hitting a nearby utility pole, he said.

Kenneth Mandoli, Franklin Township director of public safety, said he couldn't release any information about the accident because it remains under investigation. He said his force is doing a probe, taking statements from about 14 people.

Evans said the oncoming car was driven by a Quakertown Fire volunteer, who was driving to the firehouse to respond to the call. Witnessing the accident was a township employee driving behind the ambulance, Evans said. "He saw everything."

The ambulance was driven out of the ditch, and Luster and Colby "checked that it was OK," Evans said, before they continued to the Sidney Road accident.

Patrolman Tim Wahba and Evans were among the responders to the Sidney Road accident, in which police said Ian Heffernan, 33, of Asbury, lost control of his car. It went off the road and hit several trees. Quakertown EMS took him to Hunterdon Medical Center, where he was then flown to Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center for treatment of "serious injuries," police said.

After taking Heffernan to the hospital's helicopter landing pad, Evans and Colby were treated at the hospital's emergency room. Luster suffered a hip injury and Colby an ankle injury. They were released about 2 a.m.

With five firefighters in the truck, the two EMS responders in the ambulance and the firefighter in the oncoming car,

"There could have been eight fatalities,"

Evans said.

"The first job is to protect yourself, to be safe. We have to be cautious" because failing that "puts the other victim" awaiting help "at risk."

"There was no reason to have passed our ambulance,"

Evans claimed, but there is a reason for the no-passing zone.

"It's a blind hill. You can't see over the crest of the road."

Quakertown Fire Chief Bradley Patkochis said he was "unable to provide any information or comment" and referred calls to the department's attorney.

There's been some hostility between the two volunteer units for more than a year, since the fire company announced plans to initiate a Quick Response Service to answer certain ambulance calls.

[Richard B the EMT]

From the information presented, I can only hope that the attempt to pass was an innocent oversight, and not deliberate. Either way, the potential to Fire, EMS, and the civilian vehicle for anything from 1 minor injury,to numerous fatalities was there. Everyone was lucky.

[Lone Star]

Unfortunately, you see this all too often in volunteer companies/departments, especially if they have a relatively low call volume. Everyone gets all 'amped up' and want's to be the first one on scene...

There was absolutely no reason to be driving so recklessly, and if it WAS a deliberate attempt to beat the ambulance to the scene, then I hope that the driver of the fire aparatus faces the appropriate criminal charges.

[joesph]

I have read several stories about this incident including both versions of the incident and have come to one conclusion on the cause of the incident. No adult supervision. Both agencies acted stupidly and without regard for safety or patient care. Passing and ambulance was stupid, failing to communicate on the radio was childish. The responder in the opposite lane may have been the only innocent in this situation but I doubt it. Actions such as this is fodder for the anti volunteer types and there right if this is how we act. The paid ems employyees also acted in a manner that lacked professionalism and widened the gap between paid and volly.You can be a professional and still be a volunteer the difference is in your actions. Both parties in this confrontation should step back and consider what they are really doing.

Edited September 26, 2009 by joesph

[Lone Star]

I have read several stories about this incident including both versions of the incident and have come to one conclusion on the cause of the incident. No adult supervision. Both agencies acted stupidly and without regard for safety or patient care. Passing and ambulance was stupid, failing to communicate on the radio was childish. The responder in the opposite lane may have been the only innocent in this situation but I doubt it. Actions such as this is fodder for the anti volunteer types and there right if this is how we act. The paid ems employyees also acted in a manner that lacked professionalism and widened the gap between paid and volly.You can be a professional and still be a volunteer the difference is in your actions. Both parties in this confrontation should step back and consider what they are really doing.

What 'paid EMS employees'?

Both agencies were volunteer.....

There's been some hostility between the two volunteer units for more than a year...

[joesph]

What 'paid EMS employees'?

Both agencies were volunteer.....

The Ems service recently hired some (4-6 I think) EMT's , it is still volunteer based but is changing

[aussiephil]

Volunteer or not, the ire crew should be stood down pending a full investigation. If they are that 'amped' lone, then the whole crew need to be mentally assessed.

To put anyone at risk like that is totally unacceptable, regardless of voluntary or paid services.

The moron driving the BRT should be banned for life & never allowed to hold a position like that as either a volly or paid EVER. If that is their mentality, then thay are not needed.

No I dont like fire. No I am not a fan of vollies. But this action is just dumb.

Edited September 26, 2009 by aussiephil

[Lone Star]

Volunteer or not, the ire crew should be stood down pending a full investigation. If they are that 'amped' lone, then the whole crew need to be mentally assessed.

To put anyone at risk like that is totally unacceptable, regardless of voluntary or paid services.

The moron driving the BRT should be banned for life & never allowed to hold a position like that as either a volly or paid EVER. If that is their mentality, then thay are not needed.

No I dont like fire. No I am not a fan of vollies. But this action is just dumb.

Your personal fellings about Fire or vollies is irrelevant here mate.

I agree with examining the mentality of BOTH services. There is no room in emergency services for that 'hot dog' or 'cowboy' mentality! It's that mentality that usually ends up getting people hurt or killed, because of rushing blindly into situations, or as demonstrated here; that 'balls to the wall' response mentality.

[HERBIE1]

Sorry folks, but there are plenty of similar stories out there, from all over the country. In a recent safety seminar we saw horrible crashes of fire and EMS vehicles from St. Louis, Chicago, LA, and somewhere on the east coast. All were paid, "professional" departments.

The gung ho mentality is not unique to low volume or volunteer groups. There are still plenty of idiots out there who disregard their own safety, the safety of their coworkers, civilians, and those we are supposed to be responding to. It's not nearly as bad as it used to be, but it's still a problem.

[Richard B the EMT]

The responder in the opposite lane may have been the only innocent in this situation but I doubt it.

Joseph, where in the article, which I have now reread a few times, does it say the person in the private car involved in this mess was responding to anything? What I saw written here was a totally private car almost hit by either a fire apparatus and/or an ambulance, and was a civilian who, through no fault of their own, was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

No matter which way the investigation goes, the chiefs of both departments should call a joint meeting of all members of both agencies, moderated by the vehicle safety officers from both agencies, and the local LEOs, too. Get everyone on the same page regarding the safety of all on the roads.

This is yet another time I refer to New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law #1104, which probably has equivelant laws in EVERYBODY'S jurisdictions, to drive with due regard to any and all other traffic on the road.