Ambulance and responder accidents and the results

From several fire and rescue sites I read:
> AMBULANCE DRIVER SENTENCED FOR FATAL CRASH - IOWA
Now, I have a lot of problems with this one. The driver was ‘transporting a critically ill patient’ when he hit the back of a tractor-trailer, a livestock trailer not that it makes a difference. The trucker was preparing to make a left turn and had moved partly into the left lane (not sure why he did that, but not knowing the road or the turn reserve judgment on him for it), apparently saw the rig coming up behind him and moved back to the right (again not sure why). The speeding ambulance hit the back of his trailer. An ambulance technician (presumably in the back) and the patient were killed, the driver and another technician were injured. The driver was sentenced to 10 days in jail for each of two traffic citations from the crash: failure to use caution by the driver of an emergency vehicle; passing too near an intersection; this sentence was suspended and he was put on probation for one year, and fined $200. The attorney for the ambulance company stated that this sentence will ‘have a chilling effect on how ambulance drivers do their jobs’.
Oh, ps, one of the investigating officers said that the driver should have been charged with vehicular homicide, that he was going 90 mph before the crash and only partially applied the brakes as he approached the truck, making his speed about 58 mph when he hit it.
Here’s my problems with this one, folks: first and foremost, 90 mph? Really? I know the roads in Iowa are often flat and straight for miles, but 90 mph, when you see a vehicle ahead of you? YOU NEVER KNOW what a vehicle is going to do when the driver sees the lights coming up behind it. How many of us have had them stop right in front of us? Yup, thought so. Next, not applying brakes to get to a reasonable speed to compensate for what the other driver might do. Never Assume!
My other problems are with the court system. I know, many will think I should be defending the ambulance driver, but, can’t find it in me to do that. Bottom line, he killed two people. The law did not allow him to be charged with a felony, hence the lesser charges. Maybe it will be enough for him to know that he did this, but then again…. Why would he have had to show ‘a higher amount of recklessness’ – isn’t driving 90 mph (and yes, I’ve done it myself on a hot call) and not using caution around another vehicle reckless enough?
The driver and his attorney say the sentence will affect how other drivers do their job – that they will be ‘second guessing themselves’. Well, if it makes them second guess to use more caution, hip, hip, hooray! My take on it is that it may make them think they can be as reckless as they want and they’ll get off with a slap on the wrist if anything happens. Maybe I’m looking from the wrong angle, but I see it potentially making them more careless.
Oh, and of course the families of the fatalities and the surviving two people in the ambulance are all suing the truck driver and company, who are in turn suing the ambulance company and the driver. Who wins? The lawyers, as ever.
Here’s what I think: that the ambulance company, and every one across the country, should hold regular emergency vehicle safety courses, to remind their drivers that getting behind the wheel and putting on the lights and siren do not make they and their crew and patients invincible. C’mon guys, we are the ones who get called to help – riding with us shouldn’t put people at more risk than the problem they called us for does!
In two other states, firefighters are fighting for their lives following accidents which happened while they were responding to alarms. In Pennsylvania, a young husband and wife are both in critical condition. In North Carolina, a 17-year-old went off the road and flipped his truck 5 times, he’s also critical. In both cases, members of their own departments discovered the accidents and then had to work rescue for their fellow volunteers. Without knowing details (not in the stories I saw), I’ll guess that both were caused by the same thing: driving above what the existing conditions called for. I’ve done it, we’ve all done it, raced to quarters or to a scene, adrenaline pumping, thinking ahead of what might need to be done when you get there, you lose track of what’s happening in front of, around and underneath your own vehicle. If you’re lucky, it doesn’t matter, you make it ok and go to work. If you’re not, you end up being part of the problem, instead of contributing to the solution. Not only do you need help, but you take it away from the ones who originally needed it.
> UPDATE: PA. HUSBAND & WIFE FIREFIGHTERS CRITICAL AFTER RESPONDING CRASH
> FIREFIGHTER (Age 17) CRITICAL (IN A COMA) AFTER CRASHING LAST NIGHT WHILE RESPONDING TO A FIRE CALL
Bottom line – remember you’re not helping if you’re being pulled from the twisted wreckage of your responding vehicle. You’re a victim. You’re using manpower that should be working on the original call.
Let’s all be MORE careful out there. And let’s say whatever kind of prayer to whoever you say it to for the well-being of not only these folks, but all of those out there doing these jobs.
> The headlines are from the items on the sites EMS Close Calls and Firefighter Close Calls, if you want to see more on these stories.