FireTruckBlog.com: Glenn looks at the trooper ticketing the fire chief. You will want to read this one. Plus, another example of why the chief was right.

Mike Legeros picture from Legeros.com at scene of Raleigh Fire Department crash.

FireTruckBlog.com on NY fire chief’s ticket over blocking the road

My friend Mike Legeros took the picture above Tuesday night in Raleigh, North Carolina after Raleigh Fire Department Engine 1 was struck by a car on Interstate 440 north of Hammond Road. Mike described the wreck this way at his Legeros.com (where you will see many more pictures):

Engine 1 struck by passenger vehicle while blocking for Engine 2 at accident scene. E1 personnel were inside apparatus at the time of collision and not injured. Driver of passenger vehicle transported by EMS 8 with reportedly non-life threatening injuries. Engine 3 dispatched to block scene of secondary accident.

Just as we saw in Stratford, Connecticut on I-95 in early January when two fire engines were hit by two different tractor-trailers at the same incident, using the big fire trucks as barriers works.

But still, not everyone is getting the message. Yesterday morning on Long Island, North Merrick Fire Chief Jimmy Allen understands the concept well. The chief also knows that it isn’t acceptable when an incident is in the center lane of a highway to have cars driving by in both the right and left lanes. But a New York State trooper apparently knows better. According to Chief Allen he was given a ticket and threatened with arrest when he failed to unblock the right lane while the scene was still active.

Glenn Usdin looks at what happened between the chief and the trooper and a number of other relevant incidents. It is well worth the time to read Glenn’s commentary at FireTruckBlog.com.