By Tom Sheehan
The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
Copyright 2006 The Columbus Dispatch
All Rights Reserved
Medic 401 roared down Broad Street in Pataskala to help a stroke victim 4 miles away.
As the emergency crew headed into an intersection with Rt. 310, a delivery truck pulled into the ambulance’s path, causing the driver to hit the brakes.
“Did you see that truck?” Pataskala Police Officer Brad Ramsey radioed from inside the ambulance to fellow officer Joe Owens in a patrol car.
Owens was on it. He pulled over the truck and ticketed the driver for failing to yield the right of way to a public-safety vehicle.
Dangerous situations such as that happen daily in central Ohio. So far this year, Columbus fire vehicles have been in 69 accidents, although not all involved right-of-way crashes.
Pataskala city officials decided to do something about it.
They decided to put officers in the West Licking Fire District trucks to catch drivers who don’t stop for the emergency vehicles.
Police and fire officials plan a few more ride-alongs, hoping it will serve both to deter and educate drivers.
A dump truck also failed to stop for the ambulance during the same run on Friday. Police cited the driver and said they will not hand out warnings.
“It’s a worthwhile project,” Pataskala Police Chief Chris Forshey said. “It’s the failure to yield. It makes for tricky driving and causes a hazard.”
The International Association of Fire Fighters, which represents 274,000 firefighters and paramedics across the country, understands the dangers of responding to fire calls.
“We know that vehicle accidents are the second-leading cause of death among firefighters,” said association spokesman Bill Glanz.
West Licking firefighters go on seven or eight runs each day. At least once or twice, they come across bad drivers in their 109-square-mile section of western and southwestern Licking County. So far, they’ve avoided crashes, but traffic delays caused by inconsiderate drivers mean longer responses to emergencies.
“It’s been an ongoing problem. It seems to be getting worse,” said West Licking Fire Chief Jim Weber. “I’m not sure what to attribute it to.”
Some think better-insulated cars hamper motorists’ ability to hear emergency vehicles when windows are closed. That’s especially true with the added distractions of radios, cell phones and passengers.
Delivery-truck driver Tom Ball, stopped by Owens on Friday, said he didn’t see or hear the fire medic. Ball works for a nonprofit organization in St. Clairsville, and picks up and delivers clothing and other items.
“I had the green light. I was turning with the light,” said Ball, 48, of Shadyside. “It’s not fair. I thought he’d give me a warning. I have a good (driving) record.”
Owens charged Ball with a misdemeanor under a city ordinance and ordered him to appear in Pataskala Mayor’s Court. State law also has a misdemeanor charge for such traffic violations. Maximum penalties under both are 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.
Ball has filed a complaint with the police chief.
While the Pataskala-West Licking partnership might prove successful, Columbus officials likely would not try such ride-alongs, said Columbus Battalion Chief Doug Smith.
Police do not have the manpower to assist fire trucks covering a metropolitan city of 230 square miles, even though firefighters experience a lot of traffic problems, he said.
“We understand that Columbus police are extremely busy. We haven’t asked them to ride along,” Smith said.
In some cases, patrol officers have seen drivers get in the way of fire vehicles and have written tickets, he said.
In general, firefighters and paramedics have to identify a vehicle as well as the driver to seek charges if a police officer isn’t around to witness the violation.
Drivers should move over for emergency vehicles, and are required by law to do so, but they should use common sense, Smith said. Drivers should never pull into oncoming traffic.
“We don’t want people to run a red light,” he said. “It’s against the law, even if we are coming up behind them.”