Near Miss: Runaway Engine
Have you ever had an engine's parking brake fail? This week's Near Miss report covers this type of incident.
On Tuesday, December 27, 2005, the (name deleted) Fire Department experienced its worst wildland/urban interface fire in recent history. Early into the incident, I was attempting to set up a command post in a residential area, where houses were being lost to fire. I was located near an intersection, with a fire department engine operating about a half-block away, uphill from me. Visibility was poor due to heavy smoke conditions. The operator of the engine, a 30+ year captain was alone due to reassignment of his crew on another rig. As I was directing incoming units and standing outside the driver’s door of my command vehicle, near the middle of the street, the engine's parking brake failed, allowing the engine to roll, unmanned, downhill toward my location. As the engine picked up speed, it veered off the roadway, rolled into a ditch, and hit a culvert, causing the front wheels of the apparatus to turn to the left. This caused the apparatus to change direction, cross over the roadway, and come to rest after hitting a residential structure located near my location. I never saw or heard the runaway apparatus coming my way. There is no doubt in my mind that I would have been injured, or worse, had the apparatus not turned when it did.
Whew! That would have been a wild thing to witness. What could have been done to prevent this from happening? The person that filed this near miss report hits the nail right on the head:
Personnel must be aware of their surroundings, regardless of how busy they may be. A maintenance program for equipment and apparatus is extremely important. NEVER assume it is okay. Check it out. When splitting personnel into different crews, be sure to maintain the appropriate number of personnel on each rig. Never allow someone to work alone.
Could this happen in your department?
Posted March 30, 2006 09:46 AM ·
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Near Misses
