Nasty crash this morning...

[cuda hunter]

Reckless Endangerment is an applicable charge. In some cases it may lock the offender up under felony counts. I carried a beautiful 7 year old girl, lifeless, from a head-on caused by a good for nothing texter. She went to prison. A way safer place than meeting up with the girl's father. The other occupant was a 5 year old girl, snapped C2. Now paralyzed from the neck down. I got the "easy" part. Remembering the scene, futile CPR, and carrying her. It never goes away. Slow down. Put down the #%^*ing phone, and think about others.

One of my best friends is a fire chief as well as EMT.  Very rural area.  Before I met him 13 years ago I never had a true understanding of what first responders deal with.  My hats off to you.  Your type of folk hold a lot of sadness for the rest of society.  The stories I have heard would be very difficult to hold it together had I actually witnessed even a few of the events my buddy has told me about. 

[JS29]

Six years in the volunteer fire department, thirty years in the towing and recovery business. You never get uses to it. 

[SgtSuperbird]

In response to the texting and driving part of this thread, I'd like to share a video on the subject. I retired as Chief three years ago from a larger suburban Detroit fire department, after serving 32+ years. I was also a volunteer FF for 11 overlapping years on both departments.

I was approached by the Traffic Improvement Association (of Michigan) in 2011, following the death of a popular high school student, due to a driver texting. I was asked if our fire department would like to be the "stars" of a public service video, displaying our professional expertise, in an effort to publicize and hopefully curb this horrible practice.

The video was shot in our Township, with many, many organizations being involved. It was "one take" and "my guys" were awesome. The safety campaign was entitled "Remembering Ally". The video of the crash extrication and the medical treatment is all acting, and in the following year, we were presented awards from the State of Michigan. (The video is THAT good/realistic.) It is also to be noted that all the blood was actually applied to the "victims" by one of our own FFs, and it's almost scary!

After the video was released, I made my four kids watch it. The message is real. You might want to pass this on to your kids, friends, grandkids, or it might pertain to you.

https://youtu.be/qQx9MJxfolU

[anlauto]

Wow...strong video...wiping back tears right now

[SgtSuperbird]

I do each time I watch it, anlauto. I think the most difficult thing was to be seated with Ally's family at the awards ceremony at our State Capitol. Awkward and heart wrenching.

(I didn't mean to send your thread off in another direction.)