LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - First responders put themselves close to danger nearly every day. But they also need our help to make sure they can save lives -- including their own.
It began as a normal call for Steven Hicks and Jonathan Rowe: A car accident on I-30 near the Broadway exit in North Little Rock. To give themselves ample room to work the scene, and to follow protocol, the first responders parked their rig across the interstate to block traffic.
What happened next, makes them glad they followed the rules.
“I saw the vehicle coming from a pretty good distance off,” Rowe said. “I noticed that they weren’t yielding or stopping.”
“The vehicle struck the ambulance and spun it completely around,” Hicks said. “The front tire was knocked loose.”
“I don’t know how close the ambulance got to me. I had my eyes closed and I was just running,” Rowe said.
Thankfully, the partners scrambled out of the way just in time and the parked ambulance did exactly what it was supposed to do: prevent a tragedy.
“It was a close call. Much too close,” Hicks said.
“Its one of those things, you never think its going to happen to you, but then you’re right in the middle of it.”
While this example ended without injury, MEMS executive director Jon Swanson and his crew members urge drivers to pay attention.
“All flashing lights mean something is going on,” Rowe said. “Whether they’re yellow, red or blue.”
“This is a risk that EMS, MEMS, firefighters, police officers face every day,” Swanson said.
“Please slow down, move over, and allow the folks here who are working to help someone else through their injury…that the responders are able to go home at the end of the day.”