THOUGHTS ABOUT BACKING UP A BIG FIRE RIG

Putting a fire engine into reverse and moving through a fire area can be a recipe for disaster. Consider these thoughts.

1. It may take 6 people to safely back up a fire rig. The driver, plus one flag man, plus 1 person at each corner of the rig may be required. The driver should always keep his eyes on his left mirror and only move the rig when he has the drivers side/rear person in view. The person located at the driver side/rear position should be the leader of the back up crew. The leader should not wave his arms unless he wants the driver to stop or start. (Better yet - everyone should have portable radios.) The flag man should clear the roadway of any other vehicles or pedestrians. The other people on the crew should watch to see that the vehicle does not strike anything or anyone.

2. If 6 people is too many, then possibly 3 people would be enough. The driver plus two people at the rear. This still leaves the possibility that a little kid could scoot unnoticed under the front of the rig and get killed.

3. Perhaps if the driver had a camera system that allowed him a 360 degree view around the top and bottom of the rig, then 1 person could back up a rig safely. Perhaps 1 camera is needed at each corner of the rig and the images can be flashed, one after the other, to a monitor for the driver to view. Or maybe there is a need for radar detectors at multipoints around the vehicle in order to detect obstructions.

4. If only 2 people are used, then the outside person has a very difficult job of dodging obstructions in the roadway, other people, the rig, and other vehicles.

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by Peter Szerlag - October 22, 1999 - October 29, 1999

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