Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report: One Fire Fighter Died211 and a Second Fire Fighter Was Severely Injured After Being Struck by a Motor 211 Vehicle on an Interstate Highway, Oklahoma, August 5, 1999

摘要

On August 5, 1999, two career fire fighters were struck by a motor vehicle on a211u001ewet and busy interstate. One 42-year-old male fire fighter (the victim) was 211u001ekilled, and a 41-year-old male fire fighter was seriously injured. The two fire 211u001efighters and the injured driver were thrown approximately 47 feet from the point 211u001eof impact, killing the fire fighter from Squad 2 and seriously injuring both the 211u001efire fighter from Ladder 2 and the driver from car no. 2. NIOSH investigators 211u001econclude that, to minimize the risk of similar occurrences, fire departments 211u001eshould: establish and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding 211u001eemergency operations for highway incidents; ensure that the fire apparatus is 211u001epositioned to take advantage of topography and weather conditions (uphill and 211u001eupwind) and to protect fire fighters from traffic; ensure that fire fighters 211u001eresponding to a scene involving a highway incident or fire must first control the 211u001eoncoming vehicles before safety turning their attention to the emergency in the 211u001eevent police have not arrived; ensure that personnel position themselves and any 211u001evictim(s) in a secure area when it is impossible to protect the incident scene 211u001efrom immediate danger. Additionally, other agencies, such as the Department of 211u001eHighways (DOH) should consider the use of a 'changeable message sign' to inform 211u001emotorists of hazardous road conditions or vehicular accidents.