A Firefighter’s Quest for Better Roadside Protection

Texas fire lieutenant advocates for improved safety after losing two colleagues in accident

   
Although firefighters are trained to battle structure fires, we’re commonly called to assist roadside accidents. Crashes happen routinely, and we’re trained to be there when they do. The morning of Jan. 11, 2020, started out as another call for a crash along Interstate 27 north of downtown Lubbock, TX. The icy roads of January combined with the unpredictability of weekend drivers would ultimately tell a different story.
 
I was off-duty the morning of the crash, but I still remember where I was when I received a call from a friend to notify me that Lubbock Lieutenant/paramedic Eric Hill and Nicholas Reyna, a Lubbock police officer, were both killed at a crash scene after a vehicle crossed the median and struck them while they were working. A third rescuer, firefighter paramedic Matt Dawson, was seriously injured. I remember sitting in my chair for what I think was hours of shock and disbelief. A year and a half later, I’m still in disbelief.
 
A new mission began to take shape when I was with Matt at the hospital. The nurses placed some type of helmet on him. It covered his entire skull and looked like it would provide a decent amount of impact protection. I remember wondering why firefighters across the nation aren’t wearing a helmet that will stay on their heads after impact. Why aren’t we better prepared for situations like the one that injured my colleagues?
 
I showed pictures of several different types of helmets to a group of firefighters. I asked them what helmet they would want on their heads if they were struck by a vehicle. A motorcycle racing helmet was the most popular choice, but far more telling was that they unanimously said the traditional firefighter helmet would be the worst. And yet, that’s what most of us wear at crash scenes.
 
It’s time to think about more appropriate head protection. After forming a partnership with Texas Tech University’s Whitacre College of Engineering, I joined a group of like-minded advocates to begin researching different helmet types and specifications while exploring innovative approaches for implementation. If firefighters spend so much time responding to roadside incidents, then they should be better protected from the unforeseen. The first year of our new program centered on gathering preliminary helmet testing data. Specifically, we conducted roll-off tests with all types of helmets, including fire helmets and the Team Wendy EXFIL^® SAR helmet. Lubbock Fire Rescue also hosted a hands-on workshop where Texas Tech faculty and students where able to spend a day in the life of a firefighter. This workshop allowed attendees to perform common simulated firefighting tasks while wearing the protective gear that firefighters do.
I knew virtually nothing about helmets when I started this process. I read as many articles as I could and watched countless YouTube videos. I started reaching out to experts in the helmet industry. Team Wendy was the only military helmet manufacturer who let me speak to somebody with technical engineering expertise. A call was set up with Ron Szalkowski, Director of Product Development and Research Collaboration. Ron took the time listen and understand the initiative I was working on. He answered my questions, helped me understand some technical matters in greater detail and let me bounce ideas off of him while providing relevant feedback. Ron was a huge help, and I want to thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with me.
 
The bottom line at this early stage in our research is that structural fire helmets may protect against conditions at a structure fire, but they’re not adequate to be used when vehicle-related injuries may occur. Modern helmets are able to protect against rotational impact injuries like those that can occur when a vehicle strikes a rescue worker. New standards need to be established to take roadway incidents into consideration. Eric Hill and Matt Dawson were following standard operating procedure that fateful day. They had the same level of protection that so many other firefighters have at scenes like these. It’s just not good enough.
 
As I wrote in Fire Engineering Magazine, firefighters also need to be able to work inside the interior of a vehicle in order to help a trapped driver or passenger. The bulky brim of a fire helmet can get in the way.
 
Much work needs to be done. This is only the start of my research and advocacy for roadway incident response safety. I sincerely hope that Texas Tech can secure grant funding to scientifically determine which impact forces an emergency responder would most likely incur during a vehicle struck-by incident. From this, my hope is that TTU can create a model set of performance standards that a roadway helmet should meet. Then we would have to work to get these roadway helmet standards adopted within the fire service. 
 
My first goal is to drive change inside the fire service. However, I would eventually like to see all those working on the roadway (EMS, law enforcement, tow truck operators, DOT and construction crews) wearing a helmet designed specifically for the hazards the roadway presents.
 
In the meantime, both Lubbock Fire Rescue and a nearby department, Wolfforth Fire & EMS, have approved SAR helmets for use at roadside scenes. These helmets, compact and lightweight with air ventilation, are both comfortable and mark an upgrade in safety.
 
I encourage you to have discussions with firefighters. Extend those discussions to local, state and federal leaders. Thirty-four emergency responders were struck and killed by vehicles in the first seven months of 2021. These people were assisting the public during an emergency. Upgraded head protection at scenes like these is needed to reduce deaths and injuries among our nation’s emergency responders.








By Brady Robinette
Guest Contributor