Hey…
Unfortunately there have been 2 more fatalities involving responding apparatus. In what appears to be an unavoidable situation for the Firefighters in Bethlehem, PA, where a 60-year-old man whose car collided with BFD apparatus Oct. 24 died Saturday night in the hospital.
William Samer was pronounced dead at 9:48 p.m. and died of multiple traumatic injuries. Bethlehem police Capt. David Kravatz on the day of the accident said the ladder truck had its lights and sirens activated at the time of the crash. The car did not yield as the engine headed north on Eighth Avenue in Bethlehem….Samer passed several cars that yielded the right of way to the fire apparatus, then swerved, spun and struck the fire apparatus just north of the Route 378 overpass. The apparatus, responding to an alarm call, was driving in the opposite travel lanes in order to bypass traffic in the northbound lanes, according to police. The apparatus driver, FF Frank Dashner, 50, of Bethlehem, was treated and released that same day.
And across the pond in England, a civilian died after his car collided with a responding fire apparatus last night. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while a Firefighter injured in the crash was taken to the hospital. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire engine was on an emergency call when it was involved in the accident. Sussex Police Road Policing Unit is investigating.
WORCESTER SEMINAR-YOUR HELP IS NEEDED:
To help raise funds for the memorial at the new fire station (which will be located on the site of the Cold Storage Warehouse where 6 WFD Firefighters were killed in the line of Duty), a seminar is being held with some outstanding "not to miss" speakers. The date of the seminar is December 3rd, 2008 — 8a-4p featuring FDNY’s Battalion Chief John Salka, Capt Mike Duggan, Lt Mickey Conboy, L.A. County Dep. Chief John Tripp and Jersey City Dep. Chief Butch Cobb. Cost: $100.00 includes lunch and a shirt.
This trip to Worcester is WELL worth your time, money and honor…details here: http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/article_display.html?id=342589
We also realize that some of you who are the very youngest Firefighters MAY NOT know about "The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire"…take a moment and go to these sites to learn:
NEW SCBA’s: We have posted some additional pictures that we took at F.R.I. in Denver this summer of the new IAFF/DHS design SCBA. Check them out here: http://firefighterclosecalls.com/fullstory.php?74473
Take Care-BE CAREFUL.
BillyG
The Secret List 11-3-08 / 0647 hours
