What a tremendously tragic commentary on the often misplaced deeply rooted belief that our "traditions" are so important that they must endure at any cost.
Between this thread and the the other "riding the backstep" thread floating around here, I can only say I'm stunned at the blatantly ignorant and belligerent responses of some of you yahoos. Yes, that's right, I'm getting right up in your faces. Anyone who has made a post supporting or dismissing this dangerous practice of riding ON the apparatus instead of IN it is a complete and utter moron, period. You can double that indictment if you happen to be a veteran or, God forbid, an officer.
Those warning labels and placards are on fire apparatus for a REASON people. That reason is because firefighters have DIED for doing just what they warn against. It's that simple, really. I don't give a crap if no one in your dept has gotten hurt or died from it, do you think that makes you immune to it? It does not.
You know that electrocution hazard sign on aerials? If you think that's a joke, come by our firehouse and look at the LODD monument out front. We lost a man that way back in 1967 when our Snorkel came in contact with power lines and he touched the truck. As easily as he was killed, it's just as easy for someone to fall off of moving apparatus and suffer an injury or be killed.
in Trash Can
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