Municipal Hall

February 13, 2008 / 12:00 AM

The District of Maple Ridge has received the results from two independent investigations concerning the crash of one of its fire trucks last month after it hit black ice on Dewdney Trunk Road. Findings from Worksafe BC and Frontline, a driver training company for law enforcement and fire organizations throughout the US and Canada, indicate that the District's Fire Department has a more than adequate set of policies and procedures in place related to the prevention of fire vehicle accidents.

The investigations included interviews with the firefighter who was driving the fire truck on January 27, the date of the accident, a mechanical inspection, road condition assessment, review of the Department's policies and procedures, and a look at the Department's training program. Worksafe BC did not make any recommendations, stating only that no violation orders are being considered. Frontline which has been involved in several large vehicle accident investigations in this province stated in its report that "it was an unfortunate and probably unpreventable incident". The same report went on to say that the "Fire Department's driver training program is one of the most comprehensive programs of any fire department. It would be difficult to find a better training program anywhere. There can be no recommendations from the review of the department's policies, operations or vehicle maintenance procedures. It is hard to improve on something that is already so good."

Maple Ridge Fire Department Chief Peter Grootendorst is pleased with the outcome of these two investigations. "Although the investigations have not found anything that we can improve upon, we are proud of the fact we have such a good training program. We will continue to endeavor to try to prevent accidents in the future and do everything we can to improve upon our already good policies and procedures."