CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — The job of fire police officers can often be overlooked when it comes to keeping rescue workers safe, but many say their job has become more dangerous as of late.
Franklin County Fire Police Officer Dale Beaver received a shock on October 30 when he was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic at an accident site near I-81 in Antrim Township.
"I was standing there, I had a flashlight up, looked back to make sure nobody's coming behind me because it was two lanes, and this other car comes up and caught me on my left side," Beaver said. "Luckily, he was not going very fast, or it could have been real serious, real quick. I could have ended up with a broken leg or lost my life."
That scenario happened in York County in September when fire police officer Brian Peek was killed while also conducting traffic.
Beaver says drivers have only become more aggressive of late, putting fire police officers at a greater risk.
"We'll have cars trying to go around us and everything else, and even to get cars to slow down anymore is getting to the point where they'll cuss us out," Beaver said.
Beaver and the members of the Franklin County Fire Police Association are calling for more safety measures to be introduced in Harrisburg, including the ability to wear and keep body cameras on and to issue citations themselves to dangerous drivers.
His message to those on the road is to be aware when they see fire police officers conducting traffic.
"They should slow down," Beaver said. "Obey wherever we tell them, and don't argue with us."