Didn’t Belive it!

Dad sent me this email forward. It was loaded with junk information, but looking at the photos I didn’t buy it!

Hard to belive rescue crews would simply stand by a wreck on the edge of a massive cliff and NOT be wearing safety lines!

Guess its true. Maybe they’re first responders who can’t be bothered with such frivolities when lives might be on the line!

Thoughts?

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7 Responses to Didn’t Belive it!

  1. Divemedic says:

    My thoughts as a supervisor of EMS and fire crews with over 22 years on the job (and certification by DHS as a Safety Officer):
    The two EMS personnel without bunker gear should not be there without PPE, and the vehicle needs better stabilization. This is poor practice, but sadly, not uncommon. If this were crews that worked for me, they would be subject to discipline.
    The safety rules that Emergency Services follow are written in the blood of dead responders.

  2. bluesun says:

    It is small-town Utah, we’re talking about, here…

  3. pax says:

    That’d be a volunteer department.

  4. Stan says:

    They must be running under the same “big boy rules” as some gun instructors.

  5. Jake says:

    Sadly, it’s believable. Worse, it’s not necessarily incompetence or “routine” recklessness – even the best of us can get “tunnel vision” and not realize we’re doing something that isn’t safe. I’ve had to pull experienced, highly trained, and very knowledgable people back for safety precautions or gear, (once in a similar situation, though not nearly as high up) and I’ve been pulled back myself. I know that they knew better, and that I knew better, but we did whatever it was anyway. In all those cases, once the issue was pointed out, we immediately had the “Oh, $#!t” light go on.

    I agree with Divemedic. a) The two in blue (probably the ambulance crew, with the others probably being either from a fire engine or an extrication vehicle) need to be in bunker or extrication gear, too, if they’re going to be doing anything that involves reaching into the vehicle – at a minimum, there’s going to be broken glass everywhere, and even tempered safety glass will cut you (ask me how I know!). b) Everybody there needs to be roped to a solid and stable anchor, but most especially the two on the cliff side of the truck. c) The entire crew needs disciplinary action – even if it’s just a stern talking to about how stupid that situation is – but especially the scene commander (however they determine that in that particular department). That person, whether he’s an officer, the driver of the first unit to arrive, or just the person there who has been on the department the longest, is responsible for controlling the entire scene – including safety. Obviously, he missed something important.

  6. Geodkyt says:

    Scene commander needs to be jacked up (not necessarily fired or demoted — maybe a stern letter in his file, depending on his history and responsiveness). All other responders on scene need to be verbally counseled.

    Of course, this incident occured six years ago. . .

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