Firefighter Christopher Brian Hunton, age 27, was a member
of the Amarillo Texas fire department for one year. On April
23, 2005 he fell out of his fire truck responding to an
alarm he died two days later from his injuries. Brian was
not wearing his seat belt.
A Detroit firefighter on his way to a call was killed in
February. 47 year old Joe Torkus died when his fire truck
collided with an SUV. Investigators say two firefighters
were riding in the front of the fire truck when it hit the
SUV. Both were thrown through the windshield.
Fire officials said Torkos had a young child and his wife
was pregnant. His wife had just had an ultrasound and found
out they were going to have another baby girl. She was going
to tell her husband the news when he returned home from
work.
Torkos reportedly was alive for a short time after the
accident. Witnesses said his last words were, "Tell
my wife and daughter I love them".
As a kid growing up in Ohio in the 60's and 70's, I always wanted
to be a firefighter. I guess it's in my blood since my father
was a firefighter too. I remember racing to the end of our street
on my bike when I knew the alarm had gone out for a call just
to see that bright red fire engine scream down the street and
I would wonder what it would be like to drive the engine or ride
the tailboard. When I was about seven, I would sit in the engine
at the station and pretend to drive my crew to a plethora of fires
and rescues.
Then I got my chance, I tested and became a firefighter in Texas.
In rookie school, it became apparent to me that my father knew
much more than I gave him credit for and how great a responsibility
it was to be a firefighter. Yes, it is fun driving the engine
on runs, and literally getting to ride the tailboard, what a blast!
I miss that. I wish there was a safe way we could get back on
that tailboard! But as we all know, many firefighter lives have
unnecessarily been lost from tailboard accidents, falling off
the tailboard, or even out of jump seats. Many of these deaths
were because firefighters didn't wear safety harnesses or seatbelts.
Before wearing seatbelts was mandatory in any vehicle, I remember
my father wouldn't wear one driving. He felt that they were even
potentially dangerous. If he was in a wreck he just wanted to
be thrown clear. What a crackup! When we got on airplanes he would
tighten the belt so tight his legs would turn blue. He didn't
want to be thrown clear if we crashed. Like that would help. By
the way, he eventually gave in and started wearing his seatbelt.
Recently I learned of the National Fire Service Seat Belt Pledge.
This pledge was created in memory of the loss of firefighter Brian
Hunton of the Amarillo, Texas fire department. He died from injuries
sustained when he fell off the apparatus he was riding while not
wearing his seat belt. This and many other deaths are senseless
and preventable.
It was amazing to me to learn that nearly 45% of firefighters
don't wear seat belts on runs. That is mind blowing! I've heard
all the excuses…they are cumbersome and restrictive with
bunker gear on, I can't get dressed enroute with it on, blaa,
blaa, blaa. When I was a driver/engineer I would never leave the
station until the officer and tailboard men would give me the
thumbs up that they were secure and ready to roll.
As officers we need to be sure our firefighters are ah…abiding
by the…ah…THE LAW… let alone are being safe. We
are responsible for the safety of our crews. Oh yes, that means
officers must buckle up too. I tell my kids that all accidents
are preventable if someone or something had done something properly.
Many deaths of firefighters can be prevented if we would just
use seat belts. Let's join together and reduce this statistic
by 100%. Don't be thrown clear…buckle up and be safe!
