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Rescue 91 from Quakertown Fire Company website.
Statement from Quakertown Fire Company
One of the more interesting stories in recent days is this dispute in Hunterdon County, New Jersey where a fire company and EMS squad, already at odds with each other, have a run in during a response to an automobile accident. The crew from Quakertown Volunteer EMS is accusing the Quakertown Fire Company of forcing an ambulance off the road when Rescue 91 passed the EMS unit.
The latest information is that police confirm the passing incident occurred as had been previously described, but charges are not being filed by law enforcement. Here is the latest in excerpts from an article by Jim Deegan and Tom Quigley at LehighValleyLive.com:
Township Public Safety Director Kenneth Mandoli said police closed the investigation without issuing summonses but referred those involved to North Hunterdon municipal court, where they could make a complaint if they wished.
Mandoli said police weren’t in a position to file charges because they didn’t witness the incident and weren’t made aware of it until afterward.
“By the time the officer was investigating, it was the next day,” Mandoli said. “Since there was no contact made, they (police) were strictly going by statements, and there was no independent witnesses.”
Mandoli and a police report obtained by The Express-Times say fire company members wouldn’t answer questions by township police investigating the early Sunday morning incident until consulting an attorney.
“As far as we’re concerned, our end is closed,” he said.
The police report identifies the fire company driver as John Schutts and indicates he passed the Quakertown Volunteer EMS ambulance in a no-passing zone, forcing the ambulance driver and another oncoming driver to swerve into ditches to avoid a crash.
Police advised the outgoing president of the Quakertown Volunteer EMS, attorney David Evans, how his members could file complaints against Schutts, according to the police report.
Mandoli and the report said the rescue truck passed the ambulance as Patrolman Tim Wahba, on the scene of a Sidney Road one-car crash, told responding units to “expedite” because Wahba thought the crash victim might die.
The call to expedite came as the rescue truck was passing the ambulance, said Mandoli, who wouldn’t make a judgment on what happened.
As public safety director, Mandoli has authority over the police department but not the fire company.
“They are not exempt from the rules of the road, nor is any emergency responder,” Mandoli said. “It’s their duty to drive with due regard for safety. It was after midnight, they were told to expedite and for whatever reason they were told to get there as fast as they could.”
The fire company and the ambulance squad have been at odds for more than a year since the fire company announced plans to initiate a Quick Response Service to answer certain ambulance calls.
The police report says Schutts passed the ambulance on a short uphill section of Quakertown Road with a double-yellow line visible day or night. Both vehicles were eastbound shortly after midnight early Sunday.
A westbound pickup truck with blue emergency lights driven by fire department member Peter Enea III came into view as the firetruck was passing the squad vehicle driven by squad member Peter Colby, according to the police report and a squad member riding with Colby.
Enea, who was headed to the fire station after hearing the call, steered away from the oncoming rescue truck and into a ditch, the report said. He was able to re-enter the road, the report shows.
“Mr. Schutts swerved into the path of the ambulance in order to avoid collision (with the pickup),” the report states.
Colby turned to his right into a ditch. Both squad members were injured and later treated at Hunterdon County Medical Center and released.
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I thought EMS had to sponsor any QRS service before it would get licensed, at least here in PA it has too. This avoids this type of butting heads over EMS calls. SOunds like the township is burying its head in the sand. Grow a set of balls before somebody gets killed. This childish play is heading for disaster, as elected officials and police officials–DO YOUR DERN JOB!
Im NOT anti volunteer, buts its idiotic stunts like these that give us vollies a bad name. If I had been the officer in charge of the fire department, the person driving the truck would be looking for a new place to hang his hat after that call.
I have to agree. If there are issues concerning "who responds to what", work them out at the station. Quit the "pissing match" on responses. As far as one emergency responder passing another, this is a strict NO-NO in my neck of the woods. If the driver of the fire truck actually did this, severe sanctions are in order. No one is helped if the responders don't make it to the scene.
Our dept runs both EMS and Fire. Our SOGs state that the Ambulance follows the engine but every now and them it doesn't work that way. The engine should be first to secure scene safety. I normally drive the engine and could never catch the Ambulance if it goes out first. Why is this Ambulance driving slow enough to be overtaken by a Rescue? Were they just putting along in an attempt to slow down the rescue truck? On the other hand we would never pass without direct communication and permission from the other driver.
Unreal! I have been with a few agencies and all had some sort of policy, SOG or SOP that stated no responding vehicle would pass another unless the front responding vehicle gave permission over the radio to the rear unit. As far as the Rescue being able to overtake the ambulance, the ambulance could very well have been driving at a safe speed for conditions. Rescue trucks can go very fast, even when they shouldn't be. It's a shame that no action was taken against the driver of the rescue. And one more thing that peeves me to death…When people tell us to 'expedite'. I thought that's what we did on all emergency calls, unless we're told that it is a minor incident. Unfortunately, some people's minds proccess 'expedite' into 'drive crazy' Triple J FL