LODD’s That Change Things/FDIC (The Secret List)

Hey,

LODD’s are about as horrifically an experience that any Firefighter, friend or family member can experience. A living nightmare to some. Life altering to others. Life ending to even others. Without a doubt, in so many aspects, the impact lasts a lifetime.

Like it or not, some Firefighter LOD deaths are unavoidable. However, most Firefighter deaths are avoidable. Some blatantly avoidable. And so often, how that FF is honored is based upon what happens locally or nationally, after the death, depending upon on how we act. In other words, if a FD loses a FF who was ejected from an apparatus because they weren’t belted in and they blew a red light, were struck, rolled over and crashed….and the next week that same FD keeps doing the same thing…they are hardly honoring the fallen Firefighter. Sure, as the IAFF’s Safety & Health boss Rich Duffy says "we do great funerals" – but that’s not long term honor. Long term honor is to be motivated enough to "never forget" by enacting change to minimize "it" from happening again.

When Firefighters and EMT’s die in the Line of Duty, it often happens on roads and highways and not just heart attacks or structure fires. I wanted to share the following story with each of you on The Secret List.

REMEMBER:

Tomorrow is the 13th anniversary of the PA Turnpike crash that killed a Firefighter and injured 9 others in the Line of Duty. To this day, we do not recall hearing about any other roadway incident taking out that many emergency responders at one time.

WHAT HAPPENED:

At approximately 2:18 PM – 3/9/1998, Lionville Fire Company (Chester County, PA) and Uwchlan Ambulance were dispatched to a single vehicle automobile accident at milepost 310.9, just west of the Downingtown Interchange on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A Heavy Rescue Truck, Engine, Assistant Chief and Ambulance responded. Upon arrival on the scene, the Ambulance, Rescue Truck, and Assistant Chief’s vehicle parked on the shoulder of the road off the travel lanes of the highway.

At the same time, two additional accidents were reported on the Turnpike. The second accident was reported at milepost 307 westbound (west of the first incident). The Engine responding to the first accident was directed to continue past the primary scene to respond to the second crash. A third accident was reported of a vehicle overturned at milepost 314 on the eastbound side of the highway (east of the original incident). Lionville Fire Chief William Minahan responded to that call with mutual aid units to investigate.

At 2:38 PM, as rescue personnel were loading the accident victim into the Uwchlan Ambulance, a tractor trailer traveling westbound lost control and crashed into the Assistance Chief’s vehicle, overturned, and slid into the back of the ambulance and the other responders in that area. The A/C and a firefighter with him in his truck were trapped in the severely damaged vehicle and had to be extricated by mutual aid rescue personnel using the Jaws of Life. Firefighter Dave Good of the Lionville Fire Company was killed in the line of duty. Nine other emergency responders were injured, three seriously. The injured included Assistant Chief Steve Senn, Firefighters Chris Good, Mike Cox, Eric John, Pete Harmansky, James Rattrie, and Robert Doan, all firefighters with the Lionville Fire Company, and EMT Brent Kaplan and EMT John Wanczyk of Uwchlan Ambulance.

Firefighter David Good was 38 years old and had 5 years of service as a Firefighter with Lionville Fire Company. He was survived by his wife Maryanne and two sons, Johnathan and Jason Good.

WHEN LODD’s CHANGE THINGS:

That incident 13 years ago eventually led to the production of a video called the “10 Cones of Highway Safety” and a training program about Highway Safety both by VFIS. It also was one of two firefighter struck-by-vehicle line of duty deaths in 1998 that led to the formation of the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI) (www.respondersafety.com ) a committee of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Fireman’s Assoc.

Since that time ERSI personnel have worked constantly to build awareness of the dangers responders face while working at roadway incidents, to develop training aids that are available for free from the website*, and to collaborate with government and fire service officials to develop standards, regulations and guidelines to protect emergency responders at roadway incidents. ERSI personnel continue to work on more new training programs and educational material related to this subject and to pass along this information at fire service trade shows and conferences. Their motivation started with the death of FF Good-and hasn’t ended.

*CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.lionvillefire.org/hwy_safety/

SO, RELATED TO THE ABOVE INCIDENT, WE WILL SEE YOU AT FDIC:

In a few days, a good chunk of the fire service heads to FDIC, to our annual "battery recharging". From veteran instructors to first time attendees, we ALL get "that" feeling and come home charged up-ready to do what we do. There will be numerous opportunities for all us to come home and affect change. Many of our programs at FDIC are about incidents that DID NOT GO WELL, and are taught to you by instructors who are motivated to change things. FOR EXAMPLE: related to the above story, ERSI will have an exhibit booth at FDIC and Jack Sullivan will be teaching a classroom session that Friday morning on “The First 15 Minutes: Survival Strategies for Roadway Incidents”.

My first FDIC was in 1977 and I get as pumped up about it now, as I did then. I look forward to seeing you at FDIC as well all head there so we can learn, and come home to change stuff.

NOT REGISTERED FOR FDIC? It is NOT too late, go to www.FDIC.com to get it handled.

Seeya at FDIC as well as the NFFF Stop, Drop, Rock and Roll Party, Battle of The Bands, The Stair Climb,, the FOOLS gathering and numerous other excellent events.

Take Care-BE CAREFUL.

BillyG

The Secret List 3-8-11 / 2005 Hours

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