Jacksonville, FL : 2 firefighters hurt in rescue unit crash on Monday morning, December 26, 2016
A Monday morning crash at the intersection of Beach and University boulevards sent a rescue unit into a nearby shopping center.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investigating the 7:45 a.m. crash involving a pickup truck and a Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department unit. The fire union president said the firefighter driving made a complete stop at the light before turning, but the driver of the truck didn’t yield to them.
The impact knocked Rescue 19 off the road and into a RadioShack store.
JFRD reported minor injuries to the two paramedics in the rescue unit and the driver of the pickup, who had to be cut out of the vehicle. The two firefighters were out of the hospital by Monday afternoon.
A patient being transported in the rescue unit was not injured in the crash.
"The patient is locked in via (the) stretcher," said Randy Wyse, of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters. "They are actually belted to that structure, so they are very well secured."
The window of the store shattered, and there was some structural damage, but it was limited to a conference room that was unoccupied.
"My manager had called me and told me there was an accident at the store," said Phillip Jefferson, RadioShack employee. "When I got here, they told me people (in the crash) were already transported to the hospital down the street."
The intersection was blocked for about two hours while the accident was investigated and cleared. Police have not released any information about how the crash occurred, or if anyone will be charged.
JFRD records show that Rescue 19 is the second busiest unit in the city, having made 394 runs last month. With 11,834 total dispatches by JFRD last year, Wise urges people to pay attention to first responders on the road.
"It's really becoming kind of an epidemic," Wyse said. "These trucks are constantly on the road, and it's a lot of wear and tear."
Source :
2 firefighters hurt in rescue unit crash