Theodore Dawes Fire Engine Struck on I-10 While Responding to Medical Call, Chief Says Crew Followed Protocol

A driver struck a Theodore Dawes Fire Rescue engine and a Mobile County EMS ambulance on Interstate 10 Thursday afternoon while crews were responding to a medical call, according to Fire Rescue Chief Tres Cozine.

“Fortunately, none of our crew, none of the EMS crew, or the patient having the medical emergency were injured,” Cozine said Friday. “The driver, of course, was transported to University Medical Center for trauma, but I think that she’s in stable condition is the latest that I’ve heard. That’s all I know. It’s just really important to pay attention. I mean, everybody is in a hurry these days. Everybody’s distracted.”

Cozine credited the crew’s training with preventing more serious injuries. “They followed the traffic incident management system protocols to the letter,” he said. “Because of that, nobody was more significantly injured. They wound up having to extricate the person who hit the fire truck, which is kind of crazy.”

The department said it has received support from the community and neighboring fire departments since the crash. “Everybody is doing great. We’ve had a huge outpouring of support from both the community, our neighboring fire departments,” Cozine said.

Alabama’s Move Over Law

Alabama’s Move Over law requires drivers approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing to move out of the adjacent lane when it is safe to do so, or, if they cannot, to slow down to 15 mph below the posted speed limit.

Traffic incident management training, promoted nationally by the Federal Highway Administration, teaches fire, EMS, police and towing crews how to position vehicles and set up scenes to protect responders working alongside moving traffic.