Fire rescue truck hits cyclist in West Bay smash

| 13/03/2017 | 32 Comments
Cayman News Service

Fire Service rescue truck involved in accident 13 March 2017

(CNS): Police have confirmed that a cyclist was hit by a fire rescue truck during a collision on Birch Tree Hill Road at about 8am this morning, Monday 13 March. Police said the man had been taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The emergency vehicle was responding to a dispatch when it hit a utility pole and the cyclist, but there are no further details available about the collision at this time.

Drivers are still being urged to avoid the area close to Apple Blossom Road and Stadium Drive, which are also blocked. The RCIPS said inquiries were still underway and they would let the public know as soon as the roads were cleared and open again.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I am happy to respond in my ambulance with no lights or sirens. What, do you think it is quiet in the truck???? No.
    But when you call 911 for your “emergency” don’t call back like so ,any do wondering what is taking so long???? Where is the ambulance??? You just sit back and wait. Because when it is busy out and your waiting for the ambulance from north to come to the west side it’s gonna be a bit. Especially in the morning. Throw on your 4 ways and find your own way to hospital.

  2. Sharkey says:

    I think that what needs to be done in this case is Government needs to make new emergency laws , and people educated about them . Any emergency vehicle should have the right of way at all times once emergency signal are done . People needs to know that when a emergency is coming from behind or on 2 lanes roads , all other drivers are required to pull over or stop , but make sure that the emergency vehicle gets to the destination as fast as it can , because these calls are usually between life and death sometime and we don’t know.

    All emergency vehicles should be equipped with cameras , that when you don’t stop and let the emergency by then your vehicle and license plate is shown on camera then you get a $ 500 .00 fine hand delivered or register mailed to you .

    • Anonymous says:

      Huh? New laws so the fire truck would have right of way over a CUC utility pole or innocent bicyclist?

  3. Anonymous says:

    The officer had his young daughter in the fire vehicle at the time of the accident. Fire Service vehicles is often seen at schools collecting children. The Fire Service inspection vehicles, is also used for personal and family outings especially in the Eastern Districts. I have witness the husband of the female officer driving this FS inspection vehicle, collecting children from birthday parties.

    • Anonymous says:

      what do you mean “had his young daughter in the fire vehicle” ? Please stick to facts and don’t make up some s***. The Fire Truck was on the way do a dispatch it says…we need to know so much more about the details of this accident.

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s the truth though. His daughter was in the fire vehicle at the time and she was hurt. Whilst the using the vehicle for personal use an emergency happened and he was responding.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Another clown in charge of an emergency vehicle, send him to Brac with the other idiots who can’t drive a fire vehicle without destroying it.
    All emergency drivers should be advanced drivers at the very least, stop allowing numpty locals with no experience and absolutely no skill to drive these vehicles without leaving the islands and getting proper training by experts.

  5. Tellin' It Like It Is says:

    Think for a bit, people:

    They changed the speed limits on West Bay Road from 40 MPH to 25 MPH…and change the speed limit in West Bay from 25 MPH to 30 MPH. WBR is a 3 lane road (for most of it, except from Governors House to SMB Public Beach) that’s wide enough for 3 large vehicles to traverse. Most of West Bay is highly residential with small roads which older people and young children travel on daily.

    This move by the powers that be show that they value the life of some more than that of others. I know the person who was run over today personally, as well as the driver of the fire rescue truck. It’s very sad that it happened and I’m praying for both families. I’m hoping now they’ll change the speed limits back to 25 MPH or at least put in speed bumps from just past Stadium Drive through Birch Tree Hill up to Andresen Rd, as many motorist speed through there far too often.

    • Diogenes says:

      The accident was on Birch Tree Hill – what has the limit on West Bay Road got to do with it/?

      • Tellin' It Like It Is says:

        It has a lot to do, if you’d take the time to read and understand that the speed limit was RAISED to 30 MPH. Add to that the fact that the police aren’t in the area enforcing the speed limit like they do on the WBR. I’m guessing that you don’t live in West Bay or pass through Birch tree Hill.

        It’s sad that Mr. Johnson got knocked down/run over, but imagine that being a young child on his/her way to school. Think about that for a minute.

        • Anonymous says:

          EMS vehicles don’t have to go the speed limit. The CUC power pole was stationary. The cyclist was unlikely to be going more than 12mph. What then does it matter what the speed limit is on West Bay Road or Birch Tree Hill, or the price of tea in China?

          • Tellin' It Like It Is says:

            Please, PLEASE shut up! It’s better to be thought of as stupid than to open your mouth (or in this case, use the internet) and remove all doubt.

            First off, EMS vehicles are supposed to abide by the speed limits. This was told to me directly, on the same day as the incident, BY A FIRE OFFICER with many years in the service and in the presence of two police officers who agreed. If the speed limit is 80 MPH, obviously other drivers on the road would be able to do that and there’d be no need to pull over so they can go by, as they’d be going the same speed or less. Does this make sense?

    • Anonymous says:

      For goodness sake!!! No more speed bumps PLEASE!!!!!!! It’s ridiculous the amount already in place, and they prevent the emergency vehicles from reaching their destination faster either way!

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      • Tellin' It Like It Is says:

        I’m sure you wouldn’t say that if you lived in an area where people were constantly speeding through. The area I’m talking about is less than a quarter mile, but is barely wide enough for 2 regular sized vehicles to pass safely by. It’s also an area where many young children and senior citizens walk, especially in their travels to and from school.

        An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Why wait until someone is killed before we try to prevent that from happening? That’s part of the problem around here, rather than be proactive, we tend to be reactive.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I hope they took a breath sample.

  7. Veritas says:

    We need to hear exactly what was going on.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Sorry to hear about this, hopefully everybody will be okay.

    It would be appreciated if our EMS were in the habit of disabling their continual and reverberating sirens when not truly necessary through our Hotel/Tourism District. If there is zero Northbound traffic to alert or overtake on the ETH, and the EMS vehicle is only going 30 mph anyway (in a 40 zone), maybe switch off the clarion call, or use lights alone and squelch Siren when necessary to pass. Same idea when picking up patients for routine Kidney Dialysis and Diabetic procedures – maybe we try to be more selective about when to use those things rather than rattling our guests for 5 miles in every direction several times a day? If the traffic is thick and there is a genuine emergency where time is of the essence, then of course, let ‘er rip (and move with purpose)! EMS elsewhere use the loudspeaker bullhorn to direct traffic – never heard that here when EMS are stuck behind idiots. It begs the question: do we know how to use our tools and when to use them?

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree on the routine procedures but as the hotel/tourism district is full of tourists and pedestrians I think they need to have their sirens on as they won’t be able to see every pedestrian. On the other hand they should be using the bypass if heading anywhere not on the strip.

      • Anonymous says:

        They do use ETH – light traffic, if any, and two lanes. But the sound of the sirens can be heard at dive sites on West Wall. Question still stands: who is the siren for, and if it’s an emergency, why not proceed at the fastest safe speed and get there in time to lend a hand? 25mph on an empty 40mph highway with siren blaring for nobody doesn’t make sense.

    • Anonymous says:

      have to agree with you, the emergency services, police, fire, ambulance services use their sirens unnecessarily. little boys playing with big boys toys!

    • Anonymous says:

      Any emergency vehicle that has to get somewhere quick please use your sirene, so I can hear you from far as a driver of another vehicle, bike or pedestrian! I don’t care who you wake up! So sick of the ignorance presented here…I hope the cyclist and all involved will recover quickly.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh come come dear boy! How on earth would they get to their coffee and donut breaks on time in all this traffic…Seriously I think they should have them on when there is even just one car or pedestrian around…the tourists are regularly absent minded or not used to driving on the left and leaving the sirens on gives everyone half a chance of getting out of the way.

    • Anonymous says:

      Speed limit is 25.

    • anonymous says:

      That is because there is no Noise regulation in this country, which includes statutes or guidelines relating to sound transmission.

      A noise regulation restricts the amount of noise, the duration of noise and the source of noise. It usually places restrictions for certain times of the day.
      This also goes for landscaping companies who create so much noise at all hours. They must be regulated as well. No grass cutting and trees trimming, leaves blowing etc. before 8 am on weekdays and 10am on weekends.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I hope there are no injuries or fatalities in this incident. Also there has been considerable activity involving emergency vehicles and the helicopter in the Batabano area at around the same time. Does anyone know whether there is any connection?

    • Anonymous says:

      Several sport motorcycles fled the area at very high speed down the ETH – also same time.

    • Anonymous says:

      It would be interesting to know whether the driver of the vehicle was on duty and whether he was using the vehicle for personal business or work related business. I notice the vehicle at the school almost every day picking up someone. I understood that Government vehicles should not be used for this.

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