REVIEWS

December 1-5, 2006

MFD Fire Corps Personnel In Action
Middleton, Idaho

December 1, 2006
     The night of November 30 was a nightmare for Emergency services in the Treasure Valley (TV). The area from Mountain Home west to Ontario was a “skating rink.” Numerous accidents and emergency situations kept emergency personnel busy. In the Middleton Fire Department, the call was made for all available personnel to report. In the seven-mile stretch of Interstate 84, between the Middleton Exit and the Sand Hollow exit, numerous accidents put the department to the test. We are happy to say that the department did achieve its objectives during this time. Fire corps “traffic control” personnel are not activated for Interstate Traffic Control. But with the roads as slick as they were coming from Payette County into Canyon County at the Sandhollow Exit 17… a fire corp traffic control specialist (TCS) went onto the Oasis Rd overpass of I-84, to test how a “All About Safety Signs” LED sign would work. A sign was made available by FIRE/Rescue Safety Products so that TCS personnel could test it. The sign is truly a phenomenal signs… the most effective sign of its kind that we've tested. The sign pointed towards the eastbound traffic warning them to slow down. As soon as the sign was activated, one could hear the “jake brakes” working. In addition, the TCS used an LED red flashing Traffic Wand that Life For Life also markets, to warn drivers approaching. The TCS used the wand in a circular motion, which brought the drivers attention to the flashing slow sign. Traffic going past the first series of 4 multiple accident sites was slowed to 25 miles per hour. And, the TCS program helped to make this a safer accident scene. This is what we do… we help to keep emergency personnel on our roadways safer.

December 2 - 4, 2006
     Over the weekend, our TCS personnel were able to again test this “All About Safety Signs” LED sign on two fire calls, and one traffic education stop to inform drivers of the Middleton christmas parade detour. Again, it only took one TCS person to control the traffic on two-lane roads. This sign is very effective to help make emergency scenes safer.

December 5, 2006
     At 4:45pm, a call was toned out for Middleton Fire & Rescue to respond to a 10-50 (accident) at the intersection of Emmett RD and Hwy 44. After the MFD left the station, the call was downgraded from a 10-50 PI to a 10-PD only, with no lane blockage. Fire & Rescue was cancelled. There was a fire corps TCS at the station when the call came in. He proceeded to go to the scene of accident, arriving and finding the eastbound lane of Hwy 44 completely blocked. Having arrived before Law Enforcement, the TCS deployed his traffic cones, flares, and the “All About Safety Signs” LED sign that he is testing. He delegated the eastbound traffic diversion to a bystander until Law Enforcement arrived on the scene at which time the TCS gave the deputy his “All About Safety Signs” LED traffic wand to use to direct eastbound. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, it was found out that this was indeed an injury accident. MFD was again called, as was Canyon County paramedics to attend to two injured people. The TCS took over slowing down the traffic going westbound. The “All About Safety Signs” LED sign was used here and was very successful in accomplishing the slowing down of traffic at the “going home” hours of 4:45 - 6pm. When the tow trucks arrived, the TCS moved 200 feet east to Hartley RD and diverted westbound traffic onto Hartley so that the vehicles could be loaded onto wreckers. Again, the “All About Safety Signs” LED sign was instrumental in warning the people as it was flashing “STOP”.

(Reprinted with Permission)

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