On Monday, the Carstairs Fire Department was on the scene of a collision on Highway 2 when a vehicle failed to slow down and struck a firetruck, sending two firefighters to the Didsbury hospital.

Carstairs Fire Chief Jordan Schaffer says that they had all their lights on and they were working correctly prior to the collision.

"Unfortunately (it happened) when we were providing what's called an emergency traffic send-off, protecting a tow truck as it was hooking up two vehicles from a previous motor vehicles collision. Another tow truck had pulled up behind us using his emergency lights and our emergency lights were going in the proper direction and (then) another vehicle passed the (first) tow truck at 100 km/h approximately and rear-ended one of our firetrucks. Two of our firefighters were sent off for assessment, just for precautionary reasons. Both of them were released later on that day and there are no further medical issues pertaining to the incident at the moment."

This, Schaffer says, is all too common.

"Unfortunately, about every single time we are on that highway, which is way too many times in the first place, we see it every call. I've been with Carstairs pushing 15 years and I've never seen a call yet where people are not speeding past us."

Schaffer asks that motorist obey the traffic laws put into place in order to ensure everyone makes it home safely.

"They need to adhere to the Alberta traffic laws. Slow down to 60 km/h in the lane beside us. They've got to remember that they want to get home and I want my crews, and everyone that's working with us to, go home too. Please slow down when you see the emergency lights or even the yellow beacons of the tow truck operators on the highway."

Besides the firefighters, several other people were admitted to hospital.

"There was a total of 6 or 7 people that went off for assessment, including my two firefighters. 6, I believe, went to the Didsbury hospital with minor injuries and 1 tow truck driver from Airdrie Towing went to the Airdrie Urgent Care Centre in a private vehicle for assessment."

 

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