Monday, November 23, 2009 We were out at the training academy for our yearly dept ops. We were in full gear in our truck a walk thru heavy rescue awaiting the rest of the personnel. I was standing in the middle of the truck so I could close the back doors if they used the side door. The truck was parked on an incline.. without warning the truck moved forward forcefully at which point I basically ran out of the truck the momentum pulling me to the point I couldn’t even attempt to grab the rail to try and stop myself.. I flew out the rear doors approx 8' landing on my right side and the SCBA. The ladder truck that was coming narrowly stopping would have at the least ran over my legs. EMS was called I was helped up and took my bunker coat off found that I had a sustained a deep laceration thru my coat. The coat was intact. I was brought to the ER x-rays of right extremity were negative. This was a Thurs evening and the following Monday I attempted to go back to work at which point my back became more and more painful. The next day the DR. sent me to an orthopedist. Seven months later I am still on leave from the FD and out of my regular job also with various back neck and shoulder injuries.
Lessons Learned:
The chauffeur and officer both disregarded dept SOP by not checking with the crew and informing the crew the truck would be moving. The crew should not depend on them to do this and should be ready to move at all times and I should have let them place me on a backboard.