Who let the MORON drive Ladder 13?

**Meddle** · March-02-10, 12:04 AM

Firefighter slammed for parking rig on train track

BY TAMMY STABLES BATTAGLIA AND AMBER HUNT
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

A Detroit firefighter’s decision to park a $600,000 ladder truck on train tracks while responding to a traffic accident is under investigation after an Amtrak train slammed into it late Monday morning.

One firefighter was treated and released at a metro Detroit hospital after he tried to drive the truck — with No. 13 on its side — off the tracks before it was struck about 11:50 a.m. by the westbound train, officials said.

Another firefighter initially parked the truck there in order to wash away gas puddled on the street from an earlier accident between a car and a flatbed trailer near the tracks at Lonyo and John Kronk. Authorities declined to identify either firefighter.

“I’m very upset,” Executive Fire Commissioner James Mack said as he stood in front of the mangled ladder truck. “I think about the citizens when I’ve got a fire truck out of service. This is their fire truck. They pay for it.”

Mack said no one was taken off duty after the accident, but the cause is under investigation.

Dan McNamara, president of the Detroit Fire Fighters Association, said Mack should be relieved no one was hurt.

“That’s our No.1 concern,” he said.

McNamara said the union will monitor the investigation and the department’s response.

“We’re not going to knee-jerk react,” he said.

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said it appears all the warning devices at the intersection — lights, bells and gates — were operating properly at the time of the collision.

“It certainly is unusual for an emergency vehicle to be in the path of one of our trains,” he said.

Bob McLean, 41, of Redford Township, who was driving nearby, said he saw the train hit the back of the ladder truck, violently pushing it off the tracks and into a pole.

“They couldn’t move it, and the train just crunched it,” McLean said. The ladder on the fire truck “flew up over top” of the train, he said. “I never heard nothing like it in all my life.”

The Chicago-bound train had left Pontiac at 10:40 a.m., stopped in Detroit at 11:36 a.m., and then slammed into the ladder truck on its way to Dearborn, Magliari said.

Four crew members and 65 passengers were aboard the train, the engine of which sustained some visible damage. At least one passenger was taken from the train on a stretcher, but officials said the injuries were minor.

The wreck threw the train off schedule at least three hours, as it had been set to arrive in Chicago at 5:16 p.m, but it didn’t arrive in Dearborn until 2:58 p.m.

http://freep.com/article/20100301/NE...on-train-track

This idiot needs to pay for this rig out of his own pocket, even if it means he lives in a refrigerator box for the rest of his life.

Michigan · March-02-10, 12:14 AM

I for onr salute all Detroit fire fighters. I find your suggestion insulting to them all.

**Meddle** · March-02-10, 12:29 AM

So do you have $600 grand laying around you can lend your 'hero'?

Michigan · March-02-10, 12:34 AM

How many lives and homes has he and the other company members saved? Now, how many have you saved? Not too many while sitting at that screen I would venture.

**Mikeg** · March-02-10, 12:41 AM

Why was a ladder rig sent to hose down a gas spill?
Why wasn't the apparatus parked on the side of the tracks opposite of the spill and the hoses laid across the track?

**Meddle** · March-02-10, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by Michigan

How many lives and homes has he and the other company members saved?

How many lives has he put at risk now that the truck is out of service? How many other city projects might now be placed on hold or scrapped because of this brain-challenged fool?

**Meddle** · March-02-10, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by Mikeg

Why was a ladder rig sent to hose down a gas spill?

Why wasn't the apparatus parked on the side of the tracks opposite of the spill and the hoses laid across the track?

> Some Trucks carry 500 gallons or more of water and a 'red line' hose. It doesn't say if Engine 33 [[or any other Engine Co.) was also there. They usually run together on accidents. There may have been a Squad also.

> Only the goofball driver knows for sure.

**Thruster315** · March-02-10, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

How many lives has he put at risk now that the truck is out of service? How many other city projects might now be placed on hold or scrapped because of this brain-challenged fool?

Let's not forget about the immediately injured people too. One of his brethren was hurt in the ordeal as was a passenger on the train. Thankfully all minor but call a stupid act what it is- a stupid act on this guy's watch.

**DanFromDetroit** · March-02-10, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Let's not forget about the immediately injured people too. One of his brethren was hurt in the ordeal as was a passenger on the train. Thankfully all minor but call a stupid act what it is- a stupid act on this guy's watch.

Sure the driver was an idiot but the problem lies with the officer of that squad. Shouldn't they be ones responsible for their crews actions? IIRC, there's a supervisor who's job it is to prevent stupid mistakes from happening. Sorry & it sucks but there's more than enough blame to go around and one mistake [[albeit an expensive one) doesn't outweigh the good these guys do on a daily basis.

**697Macomb** · March-02-10, 06:29 AM

If Engine 37 [[Central n/o Dix) was not disbanded in 2005, they might have been dispatched to the scene and not Ladder 13, from several miles away.

Originally Posted by Mikeg

Why was a ladder rig sent to hose down a gas spill?
Why wasn't the apparatus parked on the side of the tracks opposite of the spill and the hoses laid across the track?

**luckycar** · March-02-10, 07:31 AM

Look we all made mistakes in our past,and will again in the future.But parking a rig on or that close to the tracks is lame.They have hose that can go for hundreds of feet.Next time,park near a hydrant,hook up some hoses,and be safe.Don't they have any comm. with Amtrack?I'm certain you can see the train coming parallel to John Kronk,and for a good distance.Did the train try to slow down?

**Sstashmoo** · March-02-10, 09:13 AM

Their priority is human life, accidents happen. If he had saved some kids [[preferably your kid's) life, the fire engine would be inconsequential.

Buy American · March-02-10, 10:26 AM

It was a huge mistake to park the rig on the tracks, no question. Officially, the Captain or Lieutenant or Officer in charge of that rig should have told him where to park, and certainly not on the tracks. A police car was parked on the tracks as well, but the officer was able to move the car quickly. This firefighter will be reprimanded and may even get some time off, but the officer in charge is as much to blame as the driver.

Let's not get nasty with this firefighter, OR the fire department...it was a mistake, and a costly one. However, keep in mind that when you want to talk about costly mistakes, remember thug KK and his 9+million dollar mistake and the other 1 million he owes the City.

Firefighters, Police, and even Mayors make mistakes...that same firefighter may be someone who saves your life one day.

**leland_palmer** · March-02-10, 10:35 AM

How about a thread on Ladder 13's greatest hits?

http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-prod...ght-on-camera/

**Thruster315** · March-02-10, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Sstashmoo

Their priority is human life, accidents happen. If he had saved some kids [[preferably your kid's) life, the fire engine would be inconsequential.

Too true. The engine got dinged, dented, scratched and roughed up a little bit- as did a few other people but all will be in good working order again. No lives were lost and while it might cost us all a few extra pennies, it was an accident. I don't think there was anything done knowingly [[great reference to convicted criminals like Kwame Kilpatrick there, buy american) or with any malicious intent. Live and learn. Be thankful that it didn't cost someone their lives. The engine will be fixed and hopefully they'll go about keeping us all safe.

**unclefrank** · March-02-10, 10:45 AM

I'm very surprised that they would give a vehicle the number 13.

**Russix** · March-02-10, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Too true. The engine got dinged, dented, scratched and roughed up a little bit- as did a few other people but all will be in good working order again. No lives were lost and while it might cost us all a few extra pennies, it was an accident. I don't think there was anything done knowingly [[great reference to convicted criminals like Kwame Kilpatrick there, buy american) or with any malicious intent. Live and learn. Be thankful that it didn't cost someone their lives. The engine will be fixed and hopefully they'll go about keeping us all safe.

The engine is a total loss, its bent in two right down to the frame. I don't think your looking at the right video. Yes this was an accident, but common sense dictates that you don't park on train tracks. Usually people involved in the safety of the rest of us exhibit higher than normal common sense, unfortunately not true in this case.

**Thruster315** · March-02-10, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Russix

The engine is a total loss, its bent in two right down to the frame. I don't think your looking at the right video. Yes this was an accident, but common sense dictates that you don't park on train tracks. Usually people involved in the safety of the rest of us exhibit higher than normal common sense, unfortunately not true in this case.

Okay. Maybe the engine will have to be replaced. People can't be, so let's be thankful that this lapse of judgement by these folks won't ever happen again.

neighbor · March-02-10, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by DanFromDetroit

Sure the driver was an idiot but the problem lies with the officer of that squad. Shouldn't they be ones responsible for their crews actions? IIRC, there's a supervisor who's job it is to prevent stupid mistakes from happening. Sorry & it sucks but there's more than enough blame to go around and one mistake [[albeit an expensive one) doesn't outweigh the good these guys do on a daily basis.

Exactly what is wrong with so many things today. Nobody is responsible for anything it's always someone elses fault.

Yes, the supervisor should have noticed it was on the tracks but the numb nuts who was driving shoudn't have parked it there in the first place.

Of, course in typical Detroit and union fashion nothing will come of this. The firefighter who was driving will be suspended with pay for a few weeks thanks to the union and somehow the money Detroit will get from insurance will not be spent on a new fire truck.

Retroit · March-02-10, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by luckycar

Don't they have any comm. with Amtrack?

I doubt they have any direct contact, but this is an excellent point that should be implemented.

I find it hard to believe that with all the emergency personnel on the scene [[2-4? firefighters and at least 1 police officer, NO ONE thought that parking on a railroad track was not a good idea?

**Russix** · March-02-10, 11:26 AM

If you see a fire truck or a bus today, just run away! Maybe good day to stay inside?
http://www.freep.com/article/2010030...ing-test-drive

**detroitbred** · March-02-10, 11:36 AM

Retroit...I agree with you. No one said "hey guys, maybe we shouldn't park across the tracks?" And as someone already stated, trains can generally be seen from some distance...and they didn't move the thing? This is more than a mistake, it is a monumentally bad and costly decision, by people who should have known better! If it was just anyone who had done this, everyone woul be screaming about how stupid it was. These people are supossed to be "smarter than your avaerage bear"!

**SWMAP** · March-02-10, 12:02 PM

This story of just two weeks ago should be reviewed before anyone joins his/her voice to the chief - so quick to castigate his firefighters but never support them.

http://detnews.com/article/20100218/...t-raise-alarms

**ct_alum** · March-02-10, 12:23 PM

It is obvious that the vast majority of the posters are not First Responders. There is a phenomenom called "tunnel vision" that causes the responder to focus narrowly on the task at hand and not see items external to the task. This also causes many crashes in high speed pursuits. Was this a factor? Could be. Should the driver be insulted by the posters here? I'm sure that he feels bad enough as it is and will probably get dinged. Good point by SWMAP; "Executive Chief" [[WTF is that?) Mack shouldn't be throwing stones. If the average citizen knew how much "politics and personalities" there is in DFD and DPD, they'd puke.

Buy American · March-02-10, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

I doubt they have any direct contact, but this is an excellent point that should be implemented.

I find it hard to believe that with all the emergency personnel on the scene [[2-4? firefighters and at least 1 police officer, NO ONE thought that parking on a railroad track was not a good idea?

Years ago they had contact with Amtrak or any of the other trains on the tracks. If something happened where they had to close a crossing, dispatch would notify them and stop any trains. Who knows why this rig was on the tracks and if anyone [[including dispatch) knew where they were parked. I can't imagine a driver parking on the tracks knowingly....but then again, tunnel vision. It was an accident, a costly one, but an accident.