POV Responses• Date: 2006 • Time of Day: 2000 • Location: Stadium Blvd / Providence Rd• Response Mode: Emergency Response• Description: While responding to a structure

fire with lights and siren, the POV approached a red light. The POV came to a complete stop at the beginning of intersection but did not clear all of the lanes. The POV was struck by a driver who had a green light and did not see the POV.

Contributing Factors

• Stress• Distractions– Mobile Radios– Emergency lights and

siren– Map Books– Text Tones– Passengers

• Narrow roadways• Excessive Speeds• Large/Heavy trucks• Different apparatus

types• Visibility (fog, dust,

smoke, etc.)

How long will it take me to stop?

• Miles per hour × 1.466 = feet per second• Traveling 55 mph would mean that you travel

80 feet per second• Air brakes often take 0.5-1 second to react

after you press the pedal

• A fire truck traveling 55mph will take 393 feet to sop on a dry pavement roadway

Freightliner

Kenworth

Equipment in the cab

Where should I put my gear?

Ways to Improve

• Always wear your seatbelt–75% of firefighters killed in apparatus were

not wearing seatbelts (NIOSH)

• Use a backer (use larger area)• Come to a complete stop at red lights

and stop signs • Keep your focus on driving• Slow Down

A Culture of Safety• It is up to all of us to keep each other safe!

Where are we getting hurt?

1.Training 2.Entering/exiting vehicle 2.Slip/trip/fall3.Fire Incident4.EMS/Rescue Incident5.Vehicle Crash

* Every $1 on work comp expense yields $4-10 in indirect expenses

Injury Analysis Statistics

Year Total # of Incidents2007 172008 162009 112010 22011 22012 5Totals 53 ($196,870)

Repair / Activity Cost

New brakes with labor $1,400

Heavy wrecker $250 base pay

Heavy wrecker (accident) $500 base pay

What gets impacted?

• Impact of the injury or death on emergency services– Reduction of manpower

• Impact of the damage to the fire department; vehicles and equipment lost

• Impact to the families involved:– Worker’s Compensation– Insurance benefits– Long range income projections

• Impact to the community with loss of apparatus or personnel

Situation #1

• What do I do if I see someone not wearing a seatbelt? Or not using a backer?

Situation #2

• What are my expectations when I respond by myself in an apparatus?