Joe,
I wanted to report to you a very frustrating incident this afternoon. I was on my way home from church and noticed a vehicle tailgating me down Church Street from Old Ocean City Road all the way to Naylor Street. I made a right on Naylor Street and he followed me down Naylor to Station 2 where he turned in. They were leaving on a call. I pulled in across the road to talk to him but I realized they had a call.
There are a couple of things here that really frustrated me. First, he was on his cell phone the WHOLE time. Second, I had my family in the car. Third, what if some kid had run out in the road and I had to stop quickly? He would have rear ended me, possibly injuring my family and possibly injuring or killing the person I was stopping for had momentum pushed me into them. Fourth, he should have had his emergency flashers on for safety.
This happened once before at night, when a pickup truck passed me, on Naylor Street, at an extremely high rate of speed, again, endangering my family and the life of anyone out on the street. At least this vehicle had its flashers on, but was still travelling way to fast for conditions.
I called the Fire Chief that time but of course never got a call back. This time, I'm not going to bother. I was also a volunteer firefighter in another state at one time. As volunteers, we were allowed to respond with a dash mount red light, but, WERE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ALL TRAFFIC LAWS. I guess that doesn't apply here until somebody gets seriously injured or killed.
I'm not bothering with phone calls this time. I do think the traffic laws should be reiterated to these guys.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Maryland does not allow responders to use red lights in personal vehicles. Fire police can use them in pv but only onve staged at scene.
ReplyDeleteResponding with your flashers on is also illegal but largely ignored by police.
ReplyDeleteMaryland does allow three to four people per fire dept to have red lights--think it has to be the chief and people directly below them and the ems person in charge but "regular" firemen cant use them in MD
ReplyDeleteChiefs, ambo capts,fire capts, and fire police only! Most volley houses locally have two or less capts.
DeleteEasy hire more paid fire men.
ReplyDeleteWhat if what if what if...Don't drive it's dangerous.
ReplyDeleteThis what you all want, more home response volunteers. Where as the career firefighters are staged at the department ready to go. The fire chief cannot do anything about how they respond to the fire house. Volunteers around here think they have the right to speed to the fire house.
ReplyDelete12:19 you must be a paid fireman in Salisbury. It's funny how they get hired and then automatically hate volunteers... Another funny thing is most paid firemen are volunteers in their hometowns but they seem to be perfect volunteers.
DeleteIf the volleys are speeding chances are the paid guys need help bad. Make the volleys dedicate scheduled days at the fire house. Salisbury already has an hours a month mandate. Have open days and hours and make a volunteer schedule. Always staffed!
DeleteThe complaint must be in writing, contact the secretaries in the office and they will get you a copy of the form.
ReplyDelete12:07
ReplyDeleteThat is all we have heard from the SFD. What if what if. The taxes keep going up because.......what if. I have a feeling a paid fire fighter sent this in to make the volunteers look bad.
I am an ex-fire fighter and ex fire police. I am baffled at how fast everyone is out to bash the emergency services in our area. I like the original person writing the letter am not comfortable with someone tailgating another driver. Many folks keep up with "What If". I like most people have some what if questions as well. My first and foremost what if question is: What if its Me that needs that emergency responder? Second is:What if I pulled over and let him go? In no way am I saying this responder is correct or was acting safely but go back and ask the question: What if it was me he was coming to help?
ReplyDeleteThe thing I find most discouraging is that until you have been there and done it the general population has no idea the time and dedication these men and women devote to your safety and well being.
A really big "WHAT IF" question is: What if the citizens of Maryland all got together and encourage our law makers to change the laws so that our emergency responders could use the appropriate emergency lights when responding to a call. This would make it safer and alert others when needed. We in this area are fortunate to have the coverage we have and response times are generally very good. When seconds count I feel emergency lights for responders would be an asset to their response time as well as let others know why they may be tailgating you.
I can tell you I was the one he was tailgating. He was NOT using flashers and was on his cell phone the whole time. Had I seen flashers, I would have moved over. What if, he had been responding to help me in an emergency? What if, he caused an accident and never made it? What good does that do me? Any more, what ifs?
DeleteMost people in thbis area know what driving w ur flashers on means and pull over, which is whbat u shbould have done. Problem solved. Or would u like people 2 take thie sweet time whben thbe day comes that theyre responding 2 UR emergency?
ReplyDeleteanonymous 3:43, And people wonder WHY certain Council Members refuse to support building new schools. UNTIL you people can learn to spell, read and write, no new schools.
ReplyDeletehey, give me a friggin break! this isnt an english test. im typin on a tiny smartphone keyboard with big fingers...and no spell check.
DeleteI should add, the Fire Department should give out a basic test to weed out those of you who can't spell. It's amazing you got through reading the original article, unless someone, (or a few of you) joined in the read it to you.
ReplyDeleteMust be a pittsville volunteer fireman! Like most, They cannot spell or have a diploma or a full set of teeth.
ReplyDeleteMore likely drunk as hell, but I have to agree with 244 that an emergency light whether it be yellow, orange blue, or red would be a good thing to provide.
ReplyDeleteTo the author of this drivel, you are probably one of my heroes who drive down a 4 lane side by side with another like- minded car for miles and miles never once looking in your rear view mirror at the giant line of traffic you are holding up, and think that anyone wishing to pass you since you and the car next to you are doing the exact speed limit, that it's your responsibility as a driver to prevent those horrible "speeders" from doing their thing, thereby saving lives in your part of the road.
Oh, God thanks you for this public service, and wishes that you lose your license promptly, along with the rest of us.
Think of it this way, please. If you let them pass, they will all get tickets while you go free!
Move the F over!
It's a paid guy trying to make the volunteers at Station 2 look bad. If it was a real tax paying citizen he would have pulled over for the volunteer.
ReplyDeleteIt concerns me this pillar in the community drives down Church Street and Naylor Street as much as he does. He doesn't. That's because it's a paid guy lying.
JoeAlbero said...
ReplyDeleteI should add, the Fire Department should give out a basic test to weed out those of you who can't spell. It's amazing you got through reading the original article, unless someone, (or a few of you) joined in the read it to you.
January 5, 2015 at 3:48 PM
Many paid firemen can't spell because they knew they only needed just enough to get by. No need for a college edumacation cuz u only nead too no dat u put da wet stuff on da red stuff.
Paid Farmin said...
ReplyDeleteI can tell you I was the one he was tailgating. He was NOT using flashers and was on his cell phone the whole time. Had I seen flashers, I would have moved over. What if, he had been responding to help me in an emergency? What if, he caused an accident and never made it? What good does that do me? Any more, what ifs?
January 6, 2015 at 12:19 AM
2:04am- Nice try. I'm not a paid guy. I'm a tax paying citizen. Station 2 or any other station doesn't need me to make them look bad. They did that well enough on their own. You must be a volunteer with something against the paid guys. Hmmm, maybe it's because you weren't good enough to get hired.
ReplyDelete