Beresford battles grass fire

   Road and highway ditches provide thousands of acres of grass and brush to fuel wildland fires. The largest areas are on our interstate highway system. A second challenge is working in the traffic that continues to flow during the extinguishment process. Stopping the flow of traffic most the time is not an option unless there is a visibility danger to the vehicle operators. 

   During the last few calls, we have had on I-29 vehicles have been clocked at 142 MPH, a couple others over 120 MPH. Vehicles slowing down to 60 MPH from doing 80+ MPH seems like quite a reduction in speed to the driver of the vehicle but to firefighters putting out a vehicle fire just 12 feet away from the moving traffic, it still seems excessive. We all have our ways and methods of protecting our crews. For now, it’s the best we can do. 

   Food for thought, how about a law that says when approaching an emergency scene reduce your vehicle speed to one half of the posted speed limit until you pass the emergency.

   A second benefit to this law would be to increase the speed to those drivers that slow down too much, and they become a hazard themselves. Be safe! 

 

Blaze Publications, Inc.

Jeff Gargano - Editor
P.O. Box 122
Humboldt, IA 50548
jeff@blazepublicationsinc.com

News and Advertising: News and advertising deadlines are the 15th of each month for the next month's issue.

 

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