Thursday, August 12, 2010 On this evening an unexpected ice storm suddenly created several miles of black ice on and about our freeway. In short order all units were out with multiple accidents. My crew was on a accident with no injuries on a road next to the main freeway. This area was at the bottom of a long down hill section of the freeway. We saw a semi truck slide down the hill crashing into a car. Three of us stayed with the patient we had. Myself and two others headed accross toward the freeway to check on the car occupants. Unknown to us the top portion of this hill was dry, the black ice section started part way down. this is a 70 mph freeway. The people in the car were okay, but relayed to us that part way up the hill there was a older lady laying on the shoulder that they bellieve was stuck by a sliding car. We headed up the hill on the shoulder walking on a sheet of ice. As we reached the patient we had walked out on a bridge over a river about 70 of 80 feet down. No escape, or safe area. The patient was down and had several cars parked around the area that had managed to slid or crash to a stop. About this time a loaded semi truck was just hitting the ice and starting to side into a jackknife position above us. As I asked the woman my first question, there was suddenly the sound of tires slidiing on ice, and cars being hit. I looked up and saw this truck jackkniifed against the right jersey barrier, knocking cars every which direction. It was coming right at us, along with several cars bounncing back and forth between jersey barriers. We had only seconds to react, I tried to move but fell on the ice. I was on my knees trying to get up when the first couple cars flew by. One crashed into the barrier above me and was redirected around me. I could of reached out and touched it as it spun by. I managed to take a step to the barrier and turn my back to it as the front of the semi that was jack knifed slightly away from the barrier reached me. The front tire struck my right boot and tossed me up into the air. I came down on one of the steps welded to the side of the fuel tank and managed to hang on as the trucks cab slide over to the barrier. So now im wedged between a concrete barrier zoming by and a semi truck saddle tank with my legs pointed down hill. The concrete barrier was beginning to push the back of my bunker coat up my back as the truck came to a stop. I open my eyes and was shocked to be alive, also that my legs were still pointed the right way. Everyone else (but the patient )were able to avoid the cars and truck. I missed some work with an injured right ankle and a full body bruise. I didnt sleep real well for a few months. And cannot stand in the steet during fill the boot anymore. But other then that have no lingering issues.

LESSONS LEARNED: As a department we now position pumpers to protect the work area. We assign someone to watch approaching traffic. Escape routes. We close the road with trucks if we feel it is needed. We are far more careful when ice storms are possible.