Protect Your Emergency Responders!
Not too long ago, a St. Cloud volunteer firefighter was killed when he was struck by a motorist while assisting at a fire scene. Nearly two years ago, an Esko volunteer firefighter lost his life when he was hit by a vehicle while fighting a car fire. What you may not know is that a very similar tragedy nearly occurred recently in Greenwood Township.
Emergency personnel from Greenwood Township and Tower responded to a vehicle accident on Highway 77. Conditions were treacherous at best, with slick roads and very limited visibility. The firefighters and EMT's were confronted several times with drivers who were driving too fast for conditions and simply not paying attention to those working the accident scene. It was a miracle that none of these dedicated people got hit because there were several close calls.
It's bad enough when firefighters and EMT's have to handle roadway accidents. It's worse yet when motorists won't slow down, putting the responders' lives and their own lives in danger. It's not only a matter of traffic law to be careful around accident scenes, it's just plain common sense.
Every year throughout this country, there are dozens of close calls like the one which occurred in Greenwood Township. Sadly, some of our EMT's and firefighters, like the people in Esko and St. Cloud, won't be coming home to their families. They end up paying the ultimate price for helping their community, because some motorist simply would not slow down at an emergency scene.