Daytime Fatal - Friday, October 2, 1998, 11:00 a.m. - Vernon Command Car 1341

Limited manpower played a big role in this unusual and severe daytime accident on Dobson Road, just south of the Miriam Drive intersection. A head-on collision caused heavy damage and pinned a woman in her northbound vehicle for 30 minutes.  Fire department members used Rescue 141's extrication equipment, while engine support from the Manchester 8^th District stood by. The victim's lower legs were pinned under the dashboard. A severe scalp and lower leg laceration were the only obvious injuries. She was taken by Tolland's Rescue 540 to Hartford Hospital with the Rockville Medic on board. The victim died about a week later of complications. A very good job was done by all with limited manpower.

Importance of Routine Truck Checks
By Christopher Hammick, Certified Pump Operator

to keep sharp on what the DOT pre-trip inspection consists of. It also helps when instructing new apparatus driver candidates and IT'S THE LAW.
After your pre-trip inspection, use the department's apparatus truck check form. There is only one form approved for submission to the Chief Engineer. Check each item. It's easy to skip over little things but that's how minor problems go unchecked for lengthy periods.  If you didn't see it working, you didn't check it. Complete the form with emphasis on the following items, which can be commonly overlooked.

• Nails, screws and other tire puncture items are a common road hazard.

• Inside rear tires need to be visually inspected and checked.

• Scuffing, cracking or wear on brake lines.

• Wiper blades (nobody notices until you need them)

• Inverter (run your scene lights while checking the truck, check the outlets).

• Exhaust system (look for corrosion and loose support hangers).

• Handlights and scene lights. Discharge them while performing your truck check. Do they work?

• Smoke ejectors. Do they work?  When was the last time someone checked them?

How many of us do a CDL pre-trip inspection prior to taking the apparatus out? As I fear many of you will say, not many. This is one reason weekly truck checks are so important. Your weekly truck checks could be called upon in the event of an accident. More importantly is the fact that the greatest portion of our work is dedicated to PREPARATION! That's right. Preparation is what we spend most of our time on. Whether it's education, drills, advanced certification classes or the weekly truck check, most of what we do is prepare for emergencies. Even reading current periodicals is a form of preparation. With that in mind, I would like to emphasize the importance of the weekly truck check and suggest some tips on checking both pumpers, aerials and rescue apparatus. 
Let's start with basic safety. Whenever you check your apparatus, ALWAYS CHOCK THE WHEELS. Unplug the battery conditioner connection to shore power.  Do a "Walk Around", checking for open cabinets, loose hose and equipment which may have fallen off or under the truck.  After a basic safety check, do a DOT CDL pre-trip check. Do you remember what it consists of? Both minor and fatal errors? It's good to practice this whenever you do a truck check

See Routine Truck Checks
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