By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            A Bronson resident wrote an anonymous letter to all five town council members recalling a harrowing moment when she said a city fire truck blew through a red light on the night of July 15 and nearly killed her and her daughter.

            Interim Fire Chief Gail Foote told council members this week that the firefighter in question has left the department to take a job with an ambulance service but claims he was running his emergency lights and siren when he slowed for the red light and only proceeded when he saw the car stop.

            Many state governments require fire trucks to stop at red lights and then proceed through the light provided it is safe to go through the intersection and there is no oncoming traffic.

            The town council took no action. The firefighter in question is no longer employed by the city and his story differed from the resident who was identified only as Sandy. Foote said ambulance supervisors will ride with their new employee when he is driving an ambulance as a result of the fire truck incident.

            He said Bronson Fire Rescue doesn’t have enough personnel to staff fire trucks with two firefighters at all times. Sometimes there is just one firefighter on the truck.

            Foote said the firefighter was en route to a respiratory call in Bronson when the letter writer said she saw a town fire truck run a red light at the only traffic light in the city at U.S. 27A and State Road 24 at about 11 p.m. She said she stopped in time to avoid an accident.

            Foote brought the incident to the attention of the council to ask for feedback. Two council members appeared to largely support the firefighter’s story, saying he was running his emergency lights and siren and did slow down and then proceeded only when he saw the car was stopped.

            The letter writer didn’t identify themselves as a man or a woman although many assumed it was a woman based on the name.

            “I saw a red truck coming from the Chiefland side of Bronson at a good rate of speed. Like I said, I had the green light. The truck went right through the red light without stopping. I got a good look at the truck. On the side, it said Bronson Fire. I know at 11 p.m. Bronson is pretty much a ghost town. But it was dark. I don’t know who was driving, but I know tonight myself and my daughter would have died,” she wrote.

            The letter writer said the person driving the truck was young, but it was late and the truck came through the intersection fast. The writer said it could have been an older person at the wheel.

            “I feel this person had disregard for anyone’s life. I’m asking someone to look into this before someone dies,” she said, adding that the behavior of the fire truck driver was “unacceptable.”

            Foote said he identified the firefighter that drove the truck and the firefighter remembered the incident. He stood by his story that he slowed for the red light and proceeded only when he saw the car was stopped.

            Councilwoman Virginia Phillips sided with the firefighter.

            “I will say I’m so thankful nothing happened, so thankful,” she said. “I would want the same young man to use the same energy if something was happening to me or my family members,” she said.

            Foote said he trains his officers to be careful about avoiding traffic accidents while driving to the scene of emergencies.

            “I tell everybody if you get in an accident on the way to the scene, you are not helping that person and you are taking resources away from them because someone has to come to you,” Foote said.

            Phillips said she could see the firefighter’s side of things.

            “If she wasn’t at a complete stop, I could see how that would be a bigger issue,” Phillips replied. “But if she was at a complete stop, I see how he would take it as – it’s time to go.”

            Councilman Franklin Schuler said if the firefighter violated any policy, he should have stopped rather than going straight through.

            Foote said firefighters are taught to come to a complete stop or be prepared to stop.

            Councilwoman Sherrie Schuler said if the car driver was stopped at the intersection, it might have given the firefighter the impression it was time to go through the intersection.

            “She said the truck went straight through the red light without stopping,” Foote responded.

            Mayor Robert Partin thanked Foote for bringing the incident to the council for discussion.

            “I think she wanted you to bring it to our attention. You have addressed that. We appreciate that and hope it doesn’t happen again,” Partin said.

            Foote said the department gives firefighters classroom and road training to teach them safety precautions when driving a fire truck. He said more training would be offered.

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Town of Bronson Regular Meeting August 7, 2023; Posted August 11, 2023