A water tender responding to a vegetation fire Sunday night near Fort Wayne, Indiana rolled over, killing the driver who was believed to be the only person in the truck. The firefighter, who has not been identified, lost control while turning at an intersection. The Washington Township Fire Department truck rolled over several times taking out three utility poles. Live electrical wires at the scene prevented firefighters from accessing the wreckage until the power had been shut off. Photos show extensive damage to the water tender.
The Washington Township FD’s Facebook page said the county coroner will be releasing the individual’s name following positive identification later on Monday.
Fatal wrecks involving water tenders (or “tankers”) are so common that the Centers For Disease Control issued a bulletin in 2001 through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warning of the danger. Here is how NIOSH described the hazard:
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“Mobile water supply vehicles, known as tankers or tenders, are widely used to transport water to areas beyond a water supply system or where the water supply is inadequate. Incidents involving motor vehicles account for approximately 20% of U.S. fire fighter deaths each year; cases involving tankers are the most prevalent of these motor vehicle incidents. During 1977–1999, 73 deaths occurred in 63 crashes involving tankers. Of those deaths, 54 occurred in 49 crashes in which tankers rolled over (no collision), and 8 occurred in 6 crashes in which the tankers left the road (no collision). The other cases involved collision with another vehicle (10 deaths in 7 crashes) and collision with stationary object(s) (1 death) [NFPA 2000].
Tanker drivers may not be fully aware that tanker trucks are more difficult to control than passenger vehicles. A tanker truck requires a much greater distance to stop. Tankers weigh substantially more, and their air brake systems take more time to activate than the hydraulic/mechanical brake systems on smaller passenger cars. The effect is influenced by the amount of water the tanker is hauling and whether the tanker is baffled.”
Drivers with little experience in a high stress mode and a very hard to handle vehicle all compound the situation. Better to arrive later and alive then never at all.
he had experience driving the tanker he was the assistant cheif engineer for at least two years and he was a hell of a firefighter!!!
I hope that NIOSH will do an investigation and issue a Report so that all of the details are clear, and the Lessons Learned are available for all other departments and Agencies that operate similar pieces of equipment.
Since 1990, vehicle accidents are the 2nd leading cause of wildland firefighter deaths.