Report Number: 05-0000170
Report Date: 05/27/2005
Event Description
Driver/FF backing ladder truck into fire station.
Station equipped with a rear drive thru door. Driver/FF had pulled the vehicle onto the front apron of the fire station to check vehicle. Instead of driving around the building to the drive thru door, driver/FF elected to back the vehicle in. The driver/FF did not do a walk-around of the vehicle prior to backing in. He reportly had a spotter on the driver's side rear. Rear upward opening compartment door was left open. As the vehicle was backed in the rear compartment door struck the column of the bay. An estimate of $26,000 of damage was done to the building and another $4,000 to the apparatus. Our department has an SOP on backing vehicles that requires a walk-around will be done prior to the vehicle moving. Also, two spotters are to be utilized whenever backing a vehicle. This particular fire station has a drive-thru bay area. For this reason, a policy was put into place stating that all vehicles will be driven thru the rear bay doors.
Lesson Learned
Lessons learned - FFs must follow SOPs. The Fire Department's Training Officer has reviewed the departmen's backing policy with all members.
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