Report Number: 06-0000348
Report Date: 07/01/2006
Event Description
We responded to a multi-victim collision on a major interstate, involving a single vehicle. We arrived after the first-in engine, medic and supervisor were on scene. Multiple firefighters were in and around vehicle, removing injured victims. It wasn't until the 3rd transport unit was on the scene that someone realized the vehicle was never secured. It wasn't in park, the ignition was on, and no wheel chocks or vehicle stabilization measures had been taken. The senior officer on the scene had 20 plus years of experience. Everyone must have ASSUMED that "someone else" had already taken care of securing the vehicle. We all have to watch out for those "someone else" guys... they seem to miss a lot...
Lesson Learned
Never assume that someone else has already performed critical safety measures.
Beware of tunnel vision - everyone tends to focus on the obvious, and forget about the "little things".
Safety Officer is necessary on even the most routine kind of calls.
Complacency can hurt personnel, and damage equipment.
[Reviewers note: If a safety officer is not assigned, command accepts responsibility for that function.]
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