By Steve Rowland

Steve is the regional sales manager (Southern U.S.) for Demers Ambulances. A former firefighter and EMT, he has served in the sales groups of leading public safety companies Federal Signal, Akron Brass, Pierce/Medtec and Ferno-Washington. He is co-chair of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association’s (FAMA) ambulance technical subcommittee and is FAMA’s representative to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances, committee.

Member companies of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) are involved in the manufacturing and innovation of fire and rescue vehicles. The overriding focus of the FAMA Technical Committee is safety and encouragement to follow operation and vehicle maintenance best practices. The safety of pedestrians at fire and emergency scenes is one of the newer areas receiving manufacturers’ attention—both civilian and responder.

We live in a world of data. Within seconds, a Google search for “fire truck injuries” produces pages of results relating to firefighter injuries or deaths from apparatus crashes. Whether they are links to in-depth studies from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), or other industry organizations, many results point to persons injured in a crash involving an emergency vehicle. However, an Internet search for “pedestrians injured by fire rescue vehicles” returns anecdotal reports of persons hit while crossing in front of moving emergency vehicles. In response, several FAMA companies are proactively offering solutions intended to reduce pedestrian injuries or deaths by emergency vehicles.

MORE