Seat Belts Save Illinois Firefighters

[Guest]

This story should serve as a reminder to wear your seat belts

John L. Smith

Firehouse.com User-Submitted Photostory

Two Illinois firefighters credit the use of seat belts for saving them from serious injury duing a crash involving their fire truck.

At approximately 7 a.m. on Nov. 26, Limestown Township volunteers were dispatched to a single-vehicle roll-over traffic crash. While en route to this alarm, Limestown Township Engine 4 left the road way after sliding on an ice-covered bridge.

The apparatus rolled over one time, and came to rest on its wheels. Two occupants in the apparatus were both wearing seat belts, and received only minor injuries in the crash. The apparatus itself sustained heavy damage, especially to the body. The cab and crew compartments remained relatively intact.

Two other Limestone units arrived and crews handled both the original traffic crash and the one involving the engine.. Bartonville F.D. responded on mutual aid to the crash scene, while companies from Bartonville, Logan Trivoli and West Peoria volunteer fire departments covered the Limestone territory. They handled several other alarms while Limestone companies were busy operating on the scene of the Engine 4 crash.

This outcome of this crash should reinforce the inherent need for all members riding in an apparatus to be seated and belted at all times.

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[firecapt32 282]

I was informing my IFO class last night 25% of firefighter deaths are from accidents. These are preventable deaths. These firefighters were lucky. they understood the valus of seatbelts. This comes from good training programs-good officers-and maybe apparatus that wont move unless the person is seated and belted in.