2 Milwaukee firefighters hit by vehicle while removing snow
Two Milwaukee firefighters were struck by a vehicle while removing snow outside their fire station Monday morning, according to Fire Chief Aaron Lipski. Both are recovering at home.
The firefighters were working on removing snow from the approach in front of Milwaukee Fire Department Station 4, at 9511 W. Appleton Ave.
“This is a responsibility we take extremely seriously because if we can’t get out of our overhead doors with our vehicles, we can’t respond,” Lipski said during a Monday afternoon news conference. “You’ll oftentimes find firefighters — because there is nobody else who does it — removing all the snow from in front of their own stations so that they can have a ready response.”
Shortly after 7 a.m., a vehicle traveling east on Appleton Avenue left the roadway, and crossed over the sidewalk and the station’s front lawn. It struck the two firefighters, then spun and hit the building, Lipski said.
The firefighters, a 38-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, were immediately attended to by on-site fire station personnel, Lipski said. Two paramedic units and a battalion chief were requested to assist.
Both firefighters were taken to Froedtert with non-life-threatening injuries.
“It is dumb luck and the grace of God that we’re not dealing with a fatality or critical injury here today,” Lipski said.
The firefighters were released from the hospital and are expected to recover at home over the next few days.
The woman firefighter is a member of the department’s recruiting section and has been with the department for about 21⁄2 years. She was working an overtime shift when the incident occurred.
“We’re constantly hiring firefighters to work extra shifts on an emergency basis,” Lipski said. “She was helping with that.”
The male firefighter who was struck has been with the department for about 11⁄3 years.
The driver has been cited for driving too fast for conditions, Lipski said. The damage to the building was “relatively minor.”
“Please, let’s just slow down,” Lipski said. “There’s a lot of people, there’s a lot of traffic in this city. If we’re not respectful for each other and we’re not at least aware that driving this two-ton bullet down the road could have an impact on someone else’s life or lives, let’s bring that awareness back to the forefront.”
Slow down and practice safe driving
“Let me give you some pointers on how to handle driving a vehicle on the road since it appears to be confusing people lately,” Lipski said.
• Slow down
• Leave extra space in front of your vehicle
• Turning lanes are not meant for rapid passing
• Wear a seatbelt
• Put kids in car seats in accordance with their age and weight
• Use vehicle lights and make sure they’re in working order
• Shovel out hydrants
He also said to thank a firefighter. Year-to-date, the Fire Department has responded nearly 50 times to reports of buildings on fire, he said.