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June 16, 2005
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June 16, 2005 |
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EDITORIAL Fire squad earns appreciation The serious collision between a Miami Township Fire-Rescue ambulance and a van on Friday should remind Yellow Springers of the dangers that firefighters and paramedics — as well as law enforcement officials — often face when they charge out to respond to an emergency. The men and women who work for and volunteer with Miami Township Fire-Rescue risk their lives every day as they protect this community and assist local residents in need of emergency care. Many MTFR members are volunteers whose work with the fire squad truly is a community service. The crash occurred on State Route 343, just east of U.S. 68, when a van slammed head-on into the front of the ambulance, which was responding to a fire in Clifton. It was a violent collision that left one of the Township department’s two ambulances out of service. Firefighters and EMTs expect to be the ones who respond to an accident and not be involved in one. The van was traveling west on S.R. 343 when it drove left of center and collided with the ambulance. Three members of the Miami Township fire department, Donald Rudolf, Steven McFarland and Trisha Robertson, were riding in the ambulance. They suffered minor injuries and were taken to Greene Memorial Hospital. The driver of the van, Shane Haerr of Enon, was badly injured and was transported by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital. Even after the collision, two of the ambulance crew members immediately assisted the driver of the van, who was pinned inside his vehicle. The fire destroyed the Clifton Antique Mall, which was located in a church that was constructed in 1878. It took firefighters from five jurisdictions — Miami Township, Cedarville, Fairborn, Hustead and Pitchin — several hours to control the blaze and bring it down to a smolder. However, two hours later the fire reignited, and Miami Township firefighters were called out again around midnight. They spent another three hours extinguishing the fire, and a number of MTFR volunteers and staffers got just a few hours of sleep before heading out to work at the Street Fair Saturday. While there may be nothing routine about Friday’s collision and fire, the response of the fire department demonstrates once again that MTFR crew members are well-trained and prepared to handle extreme emergencies. The response to last week’s incidents was also another example of the bravery and dedication of Miami Township Fire-Rescue personnel, most of whom are volunteers. Whether they are fighting a fire, attending to a patient, responding to an emergency or leading a training exercise, the members of the fire department go about their jobs in a proficient and professional manner. Institutes like fire protection and emergency medical services as well as law enforcement often do not receive much attention from people until these services are needed, and for some, until it’s too late. While emergency responders tend to receive more attention after a major event, the staff and volunteers of Miami Township Fire-Rescue work hard to provide vital services on a daily basis. And for that, they deserve the community’s thanks.
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