Tilted fire truck cab kills mechanic in California

[Rapidfireservices 1]

If your members are authorized to tilt cabs for maintenance/fluid checks, please be sure they do the following:

1. Tilt cab all the way
2. Verify that the lift lock is in place.

"On Tuesday, August 19, 2008, an incident occurred involving a KME aerial truck

while its engine was being evaluated at Johnson Power Systems in Riverside, California.

It is our understanding that an employee was working by himself on the truck when the

cab tilted back on him at some point during the course of a testing procedure on the

engine, pinning and fatally injuring the mechanic, who was leaning over one of the front

wheels at the time.

Investigations by Cal-OSHA, local authorities, and KME Fire Apparatus, have

been completed, with no indications of any mechanical problems or defects in the cab

lifting system.

Our hearts go out to the family and co-workers and we wish them well.

Jerry Hennessey

KME Fire Apparatus

Director of Service Operations"

[ex-commish 490]

Terrible tradegy. May he rest in peace.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Very sad...my thoughts go to his family. Excellent post in regard to safety, anytime you are underneath anything working ensure that you have a backup stabilization in place.

[ENG47INE 17]

May he RIP

[FFD260 1]

may he RIP