Do You Wear Your Seatbelt

[smokeater-n-hellraiser]

Tc, it seems to me that there is an easy soloution: Make use of the seatbelts, the nthe buzzers wil magically go away. Now, I know that fire and EMS eprsonnel want to get to the scene as quick as possible, but I have heard of some dept.'s starting to gear fully before ever getting into the truck, or not moving the vehicle until everyone is strapped in and has been strapped into their gear. Mayhaps this would solve the problem? Just my thoughts...

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"I hate it when someone says something is impossible, because then I have to go and find a way to do it."
Stay safe, boys and girls. It's for keeps out there.

[philip publicover]

In Nova Scotia it is the law. Regardless of the vehicle you are supposed to be belted. If not and you get stopped it is a $117 fine. But who is going to stop a firetruck?

Due diligence is a big part any safety program. We have the need to protect ourselves every time we go out the door.

Last week, Thursday February 15th, our rescue was responding to a medical emergency. The two MFR's in the cab of the vehicle were not wearing there belts. At 40 km/h, 25 mph, they hit a frost heave ( A depression in the road caused by the freezing and warming cycle of this time of the year.) that was the full width of the road and 3 feet wide and 1 foot deep. They did not see this in the road ahead of them and it was not a commonly travelled road. Both members hit the roof of the truck with enough force to leavemarks in the metal roof liner. The truck came to a complete stop. Both members exited the vehicle to check for damage and then continued on their way after shaking off the impact and warning others responding in POV's about the road damage.

Wear your belts. Everytime. Everywhere.

We are all guilty of not wearing the belts at some time in our past. Unless you are still driving an open cab 1920 pumper you have belts in the truck. As has been said " Do it for your Family."

Philip Publicover, Fire Chief
District #1 Fire Dept.
Blandford, N.S., Canada
E-mail [email protected]

Train Hard and Train Safe

[LFD2203]

i still find it unsettling to see how many of us will rationalize the risk we take. face it, the 30 seconds you save by "packing up" on the way becomes no issue if you are fatally injured. think about it, 30 seconds vs. the rest of your life.
over the last couple of years, we have seen pictures of fire appartus involved in MVA's that very possibly would not have been LODD incidents had seat belts been used. i think of the picture of the engine in texas where the driver side hit a overpass abutment, and the driver lived. the officer was killed. the only damage you can see on the officer's side is the windshield missing. that picture breaks my heart.
the absolute short term goal that i have at the start of every shift is that everyone goes home at the end of the shift. a seatbelt is a valuable step toward the accomplishment of that goal.
be safe......