Four firemen injured in accident
Four firemen injured in accident
By STU MERRY
Editor’s note: times and descriptions are from the call for service to the McLean County Sheriff’s Department.
It had all the makings of a routine accident call.
Thursday, December 17:
9:00 a.m. – A caller advised a McLean County Law Enforcement Center dispatcher that he had seen a car roll over … about 60 miles north of Bismarck. The vehicle was a pickup.
9:01 a.m. – Second 911 call reporting a truck rollover 10 miles south of Max.
9:03 a.m. – Garrison ambulance and Garrison Fire Department both paged.
The wheels were put into action. Garrison Fire and Rescue members scurried to the fire hall. Ambulance crewmembers scrambled to their rig.
9:04 a.m. – “10-76” the ambulance crew is “en route.”
9:07 a.m. – “10-76” fire and rescue crews are on their way as well.
But this morning the roads were treacherously icy, no thanks to a brief overnight shower that froze immediately in sub 32-degree temps.
Going home from a night of bowling, seeing the mist falling, Rural Fire Chief Paul Schlichting remembered telling his wife Lenore, “There’s a chance we’ll have a bad day tomorrow.” Little did he know how prophetic he would be.
Thursday morning came. Roads were so shiny that it would make a hockey rink blush. Throw in some fog that hung like a freshly laundered white sheet over a window and the mix created extremely hazardous conditions.
