Seatbelts save firefighters

The tanker came to a stop at the bottom of the embankment after rolling over the edge of the road

Incident: Kallista-The Patch Tanker 2 Rollover
Date: Sunday 14 December, 0915 - 1300
Location: Monbulk, Region 13
Responding brigades: Monbulk (Rescue, Rescue Support, Pumper/Tanker), Kallista-The Patch (Tanker 1), District Mechanical Officer - Mt Evelyn workshop

Two firefighters from Kallista-The Patch brigade have survived a tanker rollover less than a few weeks after watching a CFA video about the importance of wearing seatbelts. Both firefighters escaped without serious injury.

Kallista-The Patch Captain Ralph Ross said the men “might not have been here today if they had not been wearing seatbelts." Monbulk Lieutenant and Incident Controller Craig Poole agreed, saying “things could have turned out much worse."

The seatbelt safety video (below), part of this year’s Pre-season Update, was sent to all brigades last month. In it, Chief Officer Russell Rees calls for an end to the view that wearing seatbelts in trucks is optional.

CFA State Driving Coordinator Glenn Jennings was on-scene and spoke to the driver of the Kallista-The Patch tanker who “has no doubt that wearing their seatbelts prevented serious injury or much worse."

Glenn praised the driver for avoiding a head on collision with an oncoming car. "The tanker rolled over after almost stopping on the extremely slippery road shoulder," he said. "It slid forward and then rolled over once, stopping a half a metre from a fast flowing stream."

The tanker's Rollover Protection Structure (ROPS) prevented its roof from collapsing. There was damage to its body and front suspension and axle.
CFA Photographer Keith Pakenham was on-scene and took the pictures featured here.

You can watch the segment on seatbelt safety below:

File size: 16.5 MB Running time: 6 mins 50 sec (Broadband recommended)