While returning to the station from a call for service related to Hurricane Irene our command vehicle was hit by a falling tree. Both members in the vehicle were transported to the local emergency medical department, evaluted and released.
Our organization has a practice of suspending or altering resposnes during high wind environments. Our practice of suspending or altering response takes affect as soon as sustained winds reach 35 mph. Due to several hours of rain that preceeded the higher winds of the hurricane we started experiencing down trees prior to the 35 mph wind threshold.
Lessons learned…make sure policies are in place to identify conditions that warrant altering levels of resposne based on adverse conditions.
