Teen Firefighter Run Over by Car

[MMiz]

Teen firefighter run over by car

A young Union County firefighter working an early Saturday morning accident became a victim when he was hit by a car.

19-year-old Daniel Rice serves with the Paulette Volunteer Fire Department. He is at the University of Tennessee Medical Center with multiple injuries, including broken legs.

Rice joined the Paulette department when he was just 16 as part of the Explorer's program, for kids interested in firefighting.

His chief, Matt Lovitt describes Rice as "just an all around good kid".

Rice was on duty last night when he responded to a fatal car accident in the 2200 block of Maynardville Highway.

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[MMiz]

This is one of those moments where I realize the danger emergency workers put themselves in every day.

Just yesterday I was driving by a major MVA, and can assume I was there just moments after it happened. All the other cars moved a few lanes over, but I just stayed one over, thinking I'd check out the scene and jump out with my jump kit if needed.

As I was slowly driving by, I heard a loud air horn from behind me, and realized it was the local ambulance / rescue squad, and I was in their way. I guess even the most observant of people can make mistakes.

 

[MariaCatEMT]

Thank goodness this young man is okay (well not okay, but survivied)! Thanks for sharing this story. I'm curious about the vehicle that struck him...did the driver just not see the emergency workers? Or the firefighter directing traffic? Was he/she "rubbernecking"? It will be interesting to see what kind of charges are brought against the driver. I also hope that an update is posted on the firefighter's recovery. May his recovery be quick and complete! How many of us have seen the strange, yet somehow predictable behavior of folks on the roads when emergency vehicles are around:

1. RUBBERNECKERS - drive by as slow as they can to get a good look, often causing secondary accidents.

2. SPEEDERS - folks who blow by accidents when emergency vehicles are present at a high rate of speed, with no concern for what's going on, not taking care that there are people on foot.....ARGH!

3. DEFIANCE - folks who just don't want to go the direction police officers direct them to, in an attempt to safely deflect traffic around an emergency operation.

4. STALLERS - those who freeze in place when emergency vehicles come up behing them, irregardless of what lane they are in, no matter how heavy traffic is, blocking the emergency vehicle's passage.

5. FREE WHEELERS - those who do not pull over, or slow down, or do ANYTHING...when emergency vehicles come up behind them...as if they are oblivious (loud music perhap, or hearing problems?)


I'm sure many of you have even more examples. We had a terrible accident near my home that resulted in a fatality....police had the intersection blocked...people actually argued with the officers trying to get thru...and then there were those that LOVE to see gore....this young man flipped his vehicle, was mortally wounded (he died in the ER), it was a gruesome accident. That this accident happened in a commericial/residential district....there were about 200 hundred people lining the streets on foot just to watch....being a general nuisance, some trying to approach emergency workers and such. What a mess.

Thanks for posting this article....it reminds me once again TO BE CAREFUL on scene and not take for granted that folks driving by will be responsible. Scene safety takes on new importance in light of this young firefighter's injuries, we will remember him in prayer.