December 14, 2016
Slow means slow
Emergency personnel offer advice for accident scenes
By STU MERRY
What part of seeing flashing lights and emergency personnel holding signs saying “slow” or “stop” means ignore this?
For the Garrison Fire and Rescue Squad, it happens far too often.
Sunday, the squad was dispatched to a one-vehicle rollover about a mile north of the Six-Mile Corner on U.S. Highway 83.
Conditions were cold but clear with a dusting of snow on the highway. Crew members were stationed in plain sight, well in advance of the accident. Many motorists simply sped by emergency vehicles with lights flashing.
Firefighter Janis Sloka was stationed at the top of a hill alongside a rescue vehicle, it’s emergency lights flashing. He was virtually ignored.
Sloka said he thinks motorists for some reason are distracted when they are driving and don’t see the signs.
“Unfortunately it is unsafe for them, (with) the fire department and other emergency responders working on the road,” he said.
For the Garrison Fire and Rescue Squad, it happens far too often.
Sunday, the squad was dispatched to a one-vehicle rollover about a mile north of the Six-Mile Corner on U.S. Highway 83.
Conditions were cold but clear with a dusting of snow on the highway. Crew members were stationed in plain sight, well in advance of the accident. Many motorists simply sped by emergency vehicles with lights flashing.
Firefighter Janis Sloka was stationed at the top of a hill alongside a rescue vehicle, it’s emergency lights flashing. He was virtually ignored.
Sloka said he thinks motorists for some reason are distracted when they are driving and don’t see the signs.
“Unfortunately it is unsafe for them, (with) the fire department and other emergency responders working on the road,” he said.
