MAPLE RIDGE, CANADA -- A fire engine headed to a wreck skids on black ice, hits a curb, bounces off a tree and slams into a utility pole which brings down high voltage lines. The rig ends up on its side.
But, this particular incident on Jan. 27 in Maple Ridge, BC, Canada, has a happy ending.
All four firefighters aboard were wearing seat belts, obeying their department's policy, Chief Peter Grootendorst said in a telephone interview Thursday.
"They were very, very, very fortunate," he said. "They were saved by those seat belts."
While they did suffer scrapes and bruises, all returned to duty as scheduled on their next shift.
An air pack and other equipment was tossed from the engine. And, the chief said he is certain his firefighters also would have been ejected had they not been secured.
"Luckily, none of the lines landed on the truck," he said. "But the flashes and sparks sure scared the heck out of them."
The chief also pointed out that his department's intense training also made the difference in the outcome that icy morning. While the firefighters in the overturned rig stayed put, those in another vehicle kept their distance as well.
"They just hung in there until they were released from their seat belts. The people in the rescue squad that was following the engine also stayed back. It's really good that no one rushed to help."
Grootendorst said he was pleased that his personnel remained calm. They established a perimeter, and did everything they'd been taught.
It's the captain's responsibility to make sure all belts are buckled before the truck leaves the station.
"We train our new members how to get on and off the engines, and buckling a seat belt is part of that..."
Grootendorst said he knows the firefighters in the rig that morning know just how lucky they are.
The department that has 28 career and 100 paid on call firefighters is responsible for 125 miles. They respond to more than 3,000 calls annually.
The 1989 Mack was destroyed in the crash. Ironically, its replacement arrived a week ago.
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- Poster: Remember Us - Buckle Up
- Video: Firefighter Hugh Lee Newell story
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- Podcast: Leadership on the Line: Seat Belts - Past, Present, Future
