Agenda - 09-09-2008- 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY CONCERNS The following accounts reflect unsafe or irresponsible actions taken by members of OCRS as reported in verbal and written accounts by members of the fire and rescue community. Linden Road Auto Accident 12/09/05: Rescue 1 (OCRS) responded to an auto accident with entrapment with Eno FD. Eno FD advised R1 to reduce to non - emergency response as the situation was under control. R1 refused and continued to respond emergency. A senior OCRS member advised that the Eno FD did not have the authority to cancel them, which is contrary to established protocols, tenets of NIMS/ICS, tradition and perhaps NC State law. The scene was emotionally charged because the victim's father was on the scene. EMS and fire department crewmembers managed the scene and removed the patient who died shortly after removal. The father wanted to see his expired son, the EMS supervisor advised the father that he would attempt to arrange it, but a short time later, a scuffle started between the father and the senior OCRS member whereby the grieving father and /or the Eno fire chief was threatened with arrest. This action was uncalled for and contributed to the escalation of an already difficult situation. OCRS members often take Rescue 1 out for drives throughout the county and on more than one occasion in recent weeks have taken several members to a local restaurant for lunch. In addition to the cost of fuel borne by the County, the members were dressed in old, dirty clothes projecting a very poor image of OCRS and Orange County. • June 2008: Rescue 1 responded to an auto accident on 1-40. Failing to secure the equipment door on their unit, many pieces of equipment fell out of the unit along South Churton from the station to the interstate. Not only did this create an unsafe road hazard for motorists and the public, it reduced the unit's capabilities to render aid. This caused OCES staff to endanger their safety to walk through the roadway to pick up the equipment and debris. • An auto accident with entrapment was commanded by Hillsborough FD (date unknown) whereby senior members of OCRS began using a circular cutting saw in their attempts to free the victim. The saw caused a shower of sparks that were landing in a pool of gasoline in which the members were standing. The HFD officer stopped the operation for the safety of everyone on the scene. The OCRS switched locations to the back of the damaged vehicle to continue attempts to free the man. After a long session of attempts (approximately an hour), the squad members stopped 3