From the South Strabane Fire Department Facebook Page:
hile acting as a blocker and early warning to protect crews working an accident scene on I70 last night, Truck 44 was struck by a passing motorist at a high rate of speed last night.
This is the SECOND accident that occurred in the backlog of an incident on I70 in just 5 days and they were due to motorists that were distracted and traveling at a high rate of speed.
Last night, after Truck 44 was struck, a firefighter was nearly struck by a vehicle while on the shoulder of the roadway placing flares. This motorist failed to slow down when they saw State Troopers and fire apparatus, then drove around flares and into the protected accident scene, barely missing this firefighter.
These occurrences are becoming more frequent and more critical every day, and we need your help before yet another first responder is killed in Pennsylvania while trying to help victims of an accident. Thankfully, fire personnel that were on Truck 44 when it was struck were only shaken up. The driver of the vehicle that struck it was transported to the hospital with injuries. Their vehicle was totaled and Truck 44 sustained moderate damage to equipment compartments as well as the safety and electrical systems.
THANK YOU to Ambulance & Chair EMS, Inc. and Pennsylvania State Police that QUICKLY sent additional units to the scene at the request of Chief 44. THANK YOU to Washington County Department of Public Safety 911 dispatchers that handled both incidents professionally, prioritizing a critical incident, and to Bentleyville Fire-Rescue Chief 11 who happened to be passing the area.
Most importantly, thank you to the SIX South Strabane Firefighters that responded to the original incident, and the EIGHT additional firefighters that came in when additional personnel were requested after Truck 44 was struck.
Something has to change, and we need the help of motorists, lawmakers, and enforcement officers to create it.
– MOTORISTS need to wake up. Put your phone down, follow the speed limit, and MOVE OVER.
– LAWMAKERS must authorize and fund Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to support local emergency services operating on accident scenes by providing sign trucks, blocking vehicles, and personnel.
– The MOVE OVER law in PA needs to be enforced on motorists that blatantly and continually show no regard for first responders, recovery workers, and construction crews.
