My firefighting career mostly consist of vehicle wrecks - we respond to 40-50 miles of county roads. One time a bunch of guys were on a rollover in the bottom of a gully on the main highway. It was a slick moring and they were hurrying to get off the road because it was black ice and wet.
They unfortunately didn’t get flags far enough out. A semi truck with double chip trailers came over the hill. No one thought he was gonna stop and he almost didn’t.
The 18 wheeler turned completely sideways on a two lane highway, burning all 18 wheels. The trucker managed to control the semi, and came to a sliding stop just feet away from stopped traffic!
People were scrambling for the ditch! It was a interesting experience and just goes to show the risk and importance of watching your fellow firefighters’ backs even in seemingly safe conditions.
Kurt Kamm writes a blog featuring “Firefighter’s Words” which are submitted by firefighters/EMT and rescue personnel. He also writes novels about fires and firefighters. A resident of Malibu, he has lived through several wildland fires. He is a regular visitor at the fire camps, stations and training academies of L.A. County Fire Department and CalFire. To learn more about his novels, One Foot in the Black, and Red Flag Warning, visit http://www.kurtkamm.com
Comments