Two volunteer firefighters were nearly struck by a car near the scene of Wednesday’s fatal accident on the 103.
Lake Vaughn Fire Chief George Emin tells Acadia News the driver, who he describes as an elderly lady, was travelling at about 100 km/h as she approached the firefighters who were directing traffic.
“Two firefighters had to jump out the way and the lady missed them by about a foot. They could have been killed.”
It happened around 6:30 pm. while it was still daylight.
Emin says the firefighters were wearing bright safety vests and a fire truck with emergency lights on was also there.
He says the woman claimed she didn’t see the firefighters or the truck.
Emin says an RCMP officer issued the driver a $410 ticket and sent the woman on her way.
Then he says it happened again with the same driver.
“We had people trying to direct her out of the way. They had to move out of the way because this woman was almost hitting them.”
Emin says the RCMP need to be tougher with people who put first responders at risk, saying the police should have not allowed the woman to leave.
Staff/Sergeant Ben Parry of the Yarmouth Rural RCMP says the officer at the scene took appropriate action.
“Going forward from that, it becomes very problematic because we don’t have the authority to detain people unreasonably.”
Parry says sadly those responding to emergencies on our highways are placed at great risk and many near-misses are not reported.
He says enforcement should be tempered with education.
(Acadia News photo)
