Another Reminder To WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Brothers and sisters,

I don't know what else can be possibly done to remind, implore and demand all of us to buckle up 100% of the time. Not just in apparatus but all vehicles we are in. How many more LODD reports must be done where another brother wasn't wearing his seat belt? As far as the one quote "things like this do unfortunately happen" is somewhat accurate, but hopefully in the context of an accident and not a LODD contributed to ejection and a LODD.

Fallen New York Fire Officer Didn't Wear Seat Belt in Crash

Updated: 04-06-2007 12:24:11 PM

BRYAN CHU

Courtesy of the Times Union

MENANDS, N.Y.-- Fire Police Capt. Edgar Scott was making a U-turn and was not wearing a seat belt when his van collided with a propane tanker on I-787, killing him and injuring two others, State Police said Thursday.

Scott, 75, of Menands, a longtime volunteer in the village, was driving a marked Menands emergency fire station box van, responding to a motorcycle accident on I-787, when he was ejected from the vehicle by the impact of the crash.

Trooper Maureen Tuffey, a State Police spokesman, said additional investigation into the crash revealed the details about the seat belt and the U-turn.

Whether Scott was in violation of any department regulations remained unclear Thursday.

Village Mayor Thomas Coates -- who was sworn into office less than 24 hours before the accident -- said he checked with other village officials, who told him state law does not require seat belts in emergency vehicles.

"As far as I know, everything was done by the book," Coates said.

Seat belt protocols for officers vary, said David Quinn, chief administrator officer for the Fireman's Association of the State of New York (FASNY), based in Albany.

Quinn, also a volunteer fire police officer for the Rensselaer Fire Department, said on-duty officers are, as emergency responders, generally exempt from wearing seat belts under state law. But at his fire department they still are required to do so.

"I guess that's the safest way for the occupants and volunteers," Quinn said. "I think departments should make a decision that leads to the safest outcome for their volunteers."

Calls to Menands Fire Chief Frank Primo were not immediately returned.

Tuffey said Scott made a U-turn southbound to cross over to the northbound side of the freeway where the motorcycle accident had occurred.

But before crossing over, the van's driver side collided with the front fender of a propane tanker, driven by Gary Adams of Londonderry, Vt. Scott was ejected from the driver's seat and died at the scene.

According to the State Police, a statement issued Wednesday was inaccurate in saying its investigation appears to show the driver of the tanker was not at fault. The State Police refused further comment on the crash until the investigation is completed.

Making a U-turn on a highway "depends on the situation and protocol to get there as efficiently as possible," Quinn said.

The crash occurred shortly after 5 p.m. when traffic volume, Quinn noted, is at its highest.

"We are in a dangerous position no matter what apparatus we're driving in," Quinn said. "It's dangerous especially that time of day; lots of traffic. You have to take the best precaution. It's a dangerous job. Things like this unfortunately do happen."

Scott's vehicle, which had its sirens operating, carried two others who sustained injuries. Fire Police Lt. Edward Himes still was recuperating at St. Peter's Hospital Thursday from non-life-threatening injuries, and fire police officer Diane Brunelle was discharged Tuesday from Albany Memorial Center Hospital.

Neither of the vehicles flipped, Tuffey said. It still is uncertain where Himes, 56, and Brunelle, 57, were sitting.

The make and model of the van was not released.

Volunteer fire officers travel in either their personal vehicles or a fire station vehicle. They often carry blue sirens, a courtesy light meant for civilians to notice they are trying to respond to a call and to let them pass.

In case of injury or death, volunteer fire police officers fall under the Volunteer Firefighters Benefit Law, which compensates for injuries and deaths, similar to that of worker's compensation. Surviving spouses are paid a one-time lump sum of $50,000.

A memorial service for Edgar Scott will be held April 13 at the Marriott Hotel on Wolf Road.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

An additional article from www.firefighterclosecalls.com which has a no holds barred editorial that this was totally avoidable.

UPDATE: NO SEAT BELT RESULTS IN NY FIREFIGHTER DEATH 

Thursday, April 5, 2007

There’s new information surrounding Tuesday’s crash that claimed the life of a Menands (New York) volunteer firefighter. It appears his death was totally avoidable.

According to state police, Edgar Scott, 76, was driving the emergency vehicle responding to the motorcycle crash.

Scott was attempting to make a U-turn in the southbound lane when the truck was hit by a propane tanker and Scott was EJECTED from a side door. Scott was not wearing a seat belt at the time, but not wearing a seat belt is legal for emergency responders.

NOTE: Scott’s two passengers, who were wearing seat belts, were treated and released from a local hospital.

Investigators are still looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash. They’re awaiting toxicology and collision reconstruction reports, which could take a few weeks. Meanwhile, the community is mourning the loss of the 36-year veteran.....

A public memorial service is scheduled for Friday, April 13 at the Marriott in Colonie.

Just another thought...NY passed a bill making it illegal to use live victims during live fire training "Bradley's Law," in honor of Bradley Golden who was murdered by his Assistant Chief in upstate NY in 2001. How about the legislature also do something positive and make it a law that you must wear them in emergency vehicles as well.

Edited April 7, 2007 by alsfirefighter

[CTFF 65]

Not trying to sound cold but why was the oldest and highest ranking firefighter driving a responding vehicle?

[Guest]

Id like to see guys fit in the seat belts in a seagrave apparatus, Id also like to see the WTC rebuilt to respectful standards, both things that will never happen. They want us to wear seatbelts, I want a rig that will ALLOW us to wear them. When I was in New Orleans those Pierce rigs had all the room in the world, as did the ALF's we were running, you could easily wear a belt in them.

[Guest partyrock]

I read so many boards and articles these days I'm not sure where I saw this anymore, but somewhere out there someone brought up a very good point about how it doesn't make sense that we're trying to make seat belts designed for everyday use accommodate firefighters. This isn't an excuse to not wear them, but motivation to think differently. Aircraft, race cars, roller coasters, etc all have their own specific restraint devices. There has to be someway to integrate a functional restraint system into fire apparatus. You guys have a few minutes to think amongst yourselves. I'd like to see something by the end of the day.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Party...I made that comment on another thread. The NFPA about a year ago I was told was looking into it and was basically telling the manufacturers something is going to be needed to be done and also that it would probably become part of NFPA 1901. We already have the colored seatbelts so it will be good to have that also. So Roof, you might just see the seatbelt thing. Don't know about WTC complex, but at least the seatbelts. I've never had a problem up front, its always the rear seats that gave me a problem. Especially with gear on. What would be nice is for someone to build the SCBA harness that is also rated for a firefighter.

I've had the similiar problem, and so did Phoenix...sometimes for safety, if your personnel comes first, you make unpopular decisions that end up working out. They pulled their SCBA's out of the cabs and its working for them.