Firefighter’s Letter Regarding His Concern for Police Officer Safety Published

Firefighter’s Letter Regarding His Concern for Police Officer Safety Published

David Clark a career firefighter and a volunteer on his off duty hours recently wrote a letter to the editor of his hometown newspaper the Cecil Whig in northeastern Maryland. Clark wrote the letter knowing full well of the sensitivity of the issue of some police officers and traffic vests. ResponderSafety.com offers a Tip of the Helmet to Clark for writing about what many firefighters feel when they see brothers and sisters in blue in unsafe situations on the roadway.

To: The Editor

First let me start by saying that I am a member of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firefighters Assoc. (www.cvvfa.org). One of the major committees of the association is the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (www.respondersafety.com). The Institute serves as an informal advisory panel of public safety leaders committed to reducing deaths and injuries to America's Emergency Responders. More and more First Responders are being struck by vehicles while working along the roadways. While I was out and about on Wednesday March 9 I approached the intersection of Rt. 40 & Rt. 213. All of the traffic signals were out and it became clear that the SHA was working at the intersection. The SHA trucks had all of its warning lights activated and all the workers were wearing there ANSI (ansi.org) approved reflective clothing. What concerned me however, was the fact that 2 of Maryland's Finest (MSP) were helping with traffic control and direction and neither one was wearing there issued reflective vests while directly standing in the roadway. I'm not writing to place blame nor trying to get the Troopers in trouble but to enforce the reality that first responders are being hit by vehicles every day! Let’s not give the motorists an easy target, please wear your vests. As a 35 year first responder I'm including all of us, Firefighters, EMS workers, Law Enforcement and tow truck operators when I say” let’s be careful out there”!

David Clark