WATCH ABOVE: The Millet Fire Department says drivers are in such a rush, they’re making the job of saving lives far too risky. Kendra Slugoski has the story.
EDMONTON — The roughly 30 volunteers that make up Millet’s fire department are sick and tired of drivers speeding past emergency vehicles and accident scenes.
Lt. Trevor Palmer says the Queen Elizabeth II highway can be an especially dangerous place for him and his colleagues. With motorists traveling upwards of 140 km/h, distraction, breaking traffic rules, or simply ignorance can be devastating.
“The horrific nature of accidents that happen at those speeds is crazy,” said Palmer.
“Highway II we find to be quite bad. We find people really don’t know when to slow down, they don’t know why they’re slowing down, they don’t understand the concept of the adjacent lane where they have to slow to 60 kilometres an hour.”
He’s speaking out in the hopes of getting drivers to obey the rules of the road and pay attention to emergency responders because the alternative, he says, can be deadly.
“We had a semi that just about took us out because a car chose to stop – we were waving them through – the car chose to stop in the middle of the road and the driver had to take evasive action to get around it,” Palmer recalled.
“It’s terrifying because we were literally diving into the other ditch so that we could get out of the way.”
“I didn’t sign up to be roadkill.”
Millet firefighters also see drivers try to pass their trucks, speed past collision scenes and fail to pull over for emergency vehicles.
“If somebody passes us when our lights and sirens are activated, we take down licence plates and the makes and models of vehicles and we pass it on to the RCMP or the sheriffs,” said Palmer. He doesn’t believe any information the fire crew has passed on has been thrown out. Most drivers end up getting tickets in the mail, he said.
WATCH: A police car and ambulance struggle to get through traffic to a collision
Another shocking revelation? When Millet fire crews have to shut down a lane of traffic to attend a scene, motorists affected by the delay often yell and honk at them.
“It’s frustrating because we’re trying to do a job,” said Palmer. “We’re all volunteers. We’re all out there trying to stay safe. We know it’s inconvenient. We know that it’s a pain when we have to shut down a lane of the highway, but at the end of the day, I want to protect our guys.
“What if it was your family? What if it was you?”
Even the nasty treatment and close calls aren’t enough to make Palmer think twice about being a firefighter. He’s been with the volunteer Millet Fire Department for a decade.
“If we don’t have it, then what? Minutes are lives.”
“We believe in the same things here… We’re brothers. That’s the only way I can describe it. I would put my life on the line for any one of these guys.”
That doesn’t mean he should come close every time he’s on shift, though.
“Do I want to go home to my wife and kids? Of course I do.”
What are the rules?
– When you see flashing lights from an emergency vehicle, reduce your speed, carefully change lanes if necessary and be prepared to stop
– Follow directions given by emergency personnel directing traffic
– Motorists must reduce speed to 60 km/h or the posted speed limit, whichever is lower, when passing emergency vehicles
– Fines double for speeding in an area with an emergency vehicle
– When an ambulance, fire or police emergency vehicle is approaching from any direction and sounding a siren, drivers must yield the right-of-way:
~Safely move your vehicle to allow the emergency vehicle to pass;
~ Drive as close as possible to the right curb or edge of a two-way roadway;
~ Move right or left to the nearest curb
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