Fire Fighters Struck by Auto - A growing problem of distracted drivers!

My perspective after 32 years in Fire and EMS

16 emergency responders have been killed in struck-by incidents in the first 3 months of 2022. Last year, 65 emergency responders were struck and killed while assisting others on roadways. An unknown number of others were injured.

In the first two weeks of 2020, seven roadway responders have been struck and killed by vehicles while assisting the public.

Seven responders lost in fourteen days.

These losses end people's lives, destroy families, destabilize departments, and threaten the safety of the motoring public. We must better understand these struck-by incidents so we can implement mitigation strategies, responder training, and public education that addresses the root causes.

The Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association's Emergency Responder Safety Institute is the only organization that tracks struck-by fatalities of roadway responders from all organizations — fire, fire/rescue, fire police, EMS, law enforcement, towing and recovery, mobile mechanics, departments of transportation, special traffic units, and safety service patrols. ERSI has compiled a report, available on ResponderSafety.com, detailing the forty-four roadway responder struck-by deaths that occurred in 2019. The report is accompanied by a spreadsheet detailing the characteristics and circumstances of each incident. The report and data spreadsheet are critical reading for all responders and leadership. We have the opportunity to honor these losses by learning from them and taking action to prevent similar incidents in the future. It is an essential part of our work protecting the public and watching out for our colleagues. As 2020's alarming statistics illustrate, we cannot wait another day.

The 2019 ERSI Struck-By-Vehicle Fatality Report and the accompanying incident data are available at www.respondersafety.com/2019FatalityReport

ERSI updates its spreadsheet of 2020 struck-by-vehicle incidents as they occur. That 2020 spreadsheet is available at www.respondersafety.com/FatalityReports

Read the report and incident details to understand the context. Then: - Go to The Responder Safety Learning Network at learning.respondersafety.com to take free online training that will improve the safety of your roadway operations. - Visit www.respondersafety.com/PIO to download public education resources you can use to teach members of your community how to safely pass emergency scenes on the roadway.

ResponderSafety.com extends its heartfelt condolences to the families and departments who have experienced a struck-by incident. We continue to work hard to get information and training into the hands of all roadway response agencies and organizations so they have the tools they need to prevent similar incidents in the future.

ResponderSafety.com is primarily funded by a Fire Prevention & Safety Grant from DHS/FEMA.