One of the four firefighters inside Ladder 35 was seriously injured in the Nov. 14 rollover and the $600,000 rig was destroyed.
Fire Chief Charles Hood says he's using the incident as an example for his crews.
"Seatbelt issues are cultural issues in the fire service," he told the newspaper. "I've never had to discipline for a driving infraction since I've been here, but a strong message needed to be sent to the members of the department."
Firefighter Brandon Wheeler was operating the ladder truck as it left the fire station to respond to a structure fire but as he tried to negotiate a turn onto the Loop 410 access road, he lost control and the truck ended up on its side in the middle of the roadway.
Police said speed factored into the crash.
Wheeler, along with Capt. Larry Schultz and Firefighter Brad Phipps were uninjured, but Firefighter Robert Arranaga was trapped in the wreckage.
He sustained a broken neck and remains on medical leave, but his chief knows the result could have been much worse.
"It was a surreal experience for me, looking at that truck upside-down." Hood said. "I thought, 'Man, I'm glad they had their seat belts on,' and as it turned out, they didn't."
Schultz received a 60-day suspension because the crew was his responsibility. Wheeler was suspended for 45 days while Phipps was suspended for five days.
Arranaga -- a rookie firefighter whose first day at the station was the day of the crash -- wasn't suspended and Hood said his injuries were punishment enough.
Following the crash, Hood took other steps, requiring seat belt drills, giving drivers additional training and requiring all operations employees to take a look at the remains of the fire truck.
"Sometimes what it takes is a significant emotional event for the department," Hood said. "And a lot of times that event is somebody dying. We're glad that didn't happen in this case, but it is a wake-up call."
The cab of Ladder 35 will be displayed at the training academy as a permanent reminder.
