It is an oft-taught fact of driving that when you hear sirens, you pull over. Since the safety of others demands that police officers and additional emergency first responders hastily respond to a situation, other drivers pull to the side of the road to allow them quick passage. However, negligent drivers may not hear or consciously choose to ignore the sirens, causing serious problems and potentially complicating auto accidents. This, unfortunately, may have been the case for the Fallston Volunteer Company Fire and Ambulance Company chief recently involved in a four-car accident while responding to a call.
The car accident occurred when the fire chief, heading to an accident in the area with his sirens on, drove through an intersection. When he slowed to make a turn, his vehicle was struck by another car who failed to heed the siren. The collision slammed the emergency vehicle into two other cars, which caused debris to hit yet another car.
As a result of the accident, several people were injured including the volunteer fire chief, who had to be transported to a local hospital by ambulance. Thankfully, his injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Two other people involved in the accident were taken to a local hospital to receive treatment. Among the remaining injured, some refused to be transported to the hospital or to receive medical care. This includes the driver who struck the volunteer fire chief.
This story reinforces the knowledge that following the rules of the road is beneficial for everyone, so remain mindful of your surroundings and always obey posted traffic laws. By failing to heed to sirens and lights, an accident may result that involves emergency first responders, responding to a different situation, compounding the tragedy and potentially endangering more lives.