Baltimore City (MD) Firefighter Injured in Fall from Responding Apparatus

From The Baltimore Sun:

A Baltimore City firefighter was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center shortly after noon Tuesday after he was injured while responding to an emergency call.

Department spokesman Chief Kevin Cartwright said the firefighter fell off a fire truck that was turning a corner while en route to the 3000 block of Liberty Heights Ave. shortly after noon.

The firefighter suffered injuries to his head and elbow, including lacerations, and was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center as a precaution, Cartwright said. The firefighter did not appear to have fractures or life-threatening injuries, he said.

The firefighter was alert and talking with staffers when he got to the hospital, the city Firefighters Union Local 734 said in a Twitter message.

Read more HERE.

Cincinnati (OH) Firefighter Hurt in Apparatus Accident

From cincinnati.com:

Cincinnati Engine Truck 32 went left of center just before 9 a.m. and struck an electric pole, along with three other vehicles, according to police at the scene. A fire spokesman confirmed one firefighter was injured. The firefighter’s name has not been released, although officials said injuries were not life-threatening.

Everyone on the fire truck was being checked for injuries, as required by protocol.

For an fascinating training video on aerial rollover accidents, CLICK HERE. Visit our fireEMS section for a series on apparatus driving from Rob Raheb.

FL Firefighters' Dangerous Driving Caught on Camera; One Fired

From www.news4jax.com:

Orange County firefighters were caught on camera driving recklessly as they were responding to an emergency, and the Fire Department is apologizing for this behavior.

The Orange County Fire Department said David Jordan and Thomas Veal were caught on the dash cameras of the fire truck driving recklessly, hitting a curb and giving a driver the middle finger.

Jordan, the driver of the fire truck who has been with the Orange County Fire Department for 22 years, was fired on Friday and Veal was demoted.

The firefighters, from the fire station on Amory Court in Winter Park, were responding to an accident where someone was trapped inside a car at about 3 a.m. on May 1.

Read the full report HERE. For more on emergency vehicle driving, see our On the Road column in our fireEMS section HERE.

Denver (CO) Firefighter Injured in Apparatus Accident

From The Denver Post:

A Denver firefighter was injured this afternoon when the engine he was riding in got into a traffic accident in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The accident happened at about 1:25 p.m. at the intersection of East Colfax Avenue and Washington Street, said Sonny Jackson, a Denver Police Department spokesman.

The fire engine was "running hot" with its siren on and lights flashing, Jackson said.

A woman in a car came to a stop and then the driver changed her mind and thought she could cross in front of the engine, Jackson said.

The injured firefighter complained of back pain was taken to a hospital. Read more about it HERE.

Apparatus Woes Hinder OK Firefighters in Wildfire Fight

From www.kjrh.com in Oklahoma:

Wildfires are sweeping across Oklahoma, and volunteer firefighters are on the front lines trying to keep you safe.

In Osage County, firefighters are having issues getting to the fires. Some of their fire trucks are from the 1970's, and they keep breaking down. That's not getting firefighters to the scene any faster.

The fire trucks at the Green Country Volunteer Fire Department are running low on juice.

"The fire's coming at us and we're trying to get our trucks to work and they're just not working," said volunteer firefighter Blake Fredericksen. But replacing them isn't an option right now.

For more on this story, including video, CLICK HERE.

Report: FDNY Engine Involved in Crash Ran a Red Light

According to a recent report on CBS news, a fire apparatus involved in a fatal collision on Staten Island ran a red light:

A fire engine involved in a fatal collision with a van ran a red light, violating state law while on an emergency run, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The accident happened at around noon Wednesday at the intersection of Richmond Road and Burgher Avenue in Dongan Hills.

The FDNY truck from Ladder 81 was heading to a car fire on the Staten Island Expressway, with its siren on moments before the crash.

The van then made a left from Burgher onto Richmond, witness Ali Alsaede said. The fire truck then crashed into the van’s rear driver door.

Read more HERE.