Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Bruen Rescue Squad update

At the December Town Board meeting, I reported seeing a Bruen ambulance responding to a call and the driver was talking on a cell phone as he navigated through the intersection of Red Mill Road and Route 151. Apparently, Rick McCabe gave my letter to Brad Rose, of the rescue squad, and Brad called me the next day to get more information on the call. Apparently there was no call at the time and date that I witnessed this incredibly poor showing of judgment on the part of the driver. Brad stated there was only two calls that day and neither were at 3:30 pm. That tells me that either I can't tell time or the driver was utilizing the lights and siren for a non-emergency event. I would like to believe that I can't tell time as I not only saw the ambulance, but two EG police cars and and EGFD chief's car responding. But I digress.

Brad assured me he spoke to the crew that was on duty the day in question and further indicated that he told them it was not wise to operate an emergency vehicle in emergency mode with the driver talking on the phone. If it is a call related to the response someone else should be on the phone and if it was a private call, simply hang up! That said, I expect not to see this repeated.

I do appreciate Rick McCabe and Brad Roses rapid response to my concern.

5 comments:

  1. Is there a way to check the police car response and the EGFD chief car response?

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  2. Don,

    Yes of course I could follow up on the FD and police logs to confirm the date and time of the incident. I chose not too as although Brad seemed sincere in his speaking with me at each time by phone, I got the distinct impression nothing was going to happen as well. If I had received the complaint when I was Chief at Barnstable, I would have done all that for the caller to get to the bottom it the incident. generally when someone goes to the effort to report such an incident, they are telling you what they saw. I got the impression, I was not believed that what I thought I saw I did see. Brad reported that he spoke to the crew on that day and informed them that utilizing a cell phone while operating a vehicle under emergency conditions was not the best policy. I don't believe, even if I got the evidence of the time and date, that anything else would be done.

    Hal

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  3. Hal, Why would Brad contact you, and not the Chief of the Rescue Squad?

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  4. I believe Brad called after Rick McCabe forwarded my comments. I believe he is a board member and took the reigns of the "investigation".

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  5. Hal Siegel is a wash out from the Albany fire Dept. Who tried to get a 207a disability for an erroneous injury/disibility. After spending time trying to prove his case (while on lite duty) he was denied by city and state. Miraculously the man was cured and went back to the fire house. Hal Siegel's words have no validity. He is a bitter old man that needs to just go away.

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