AT BOTTOM ARE SEVERAL VIDEOS FROM THE MANY SCENES

Due to the recent crashes where police and firefighters, and other First Responders are getting hit by drivers not slowing down or paying attention to their driving, or driving impaired fire departments have gone to the extreme. Almost all crashes now, and mostly freeway crashes a ladder truck is dispatched to the scene for what they call a traffic blocker. Basically, a large, almost $1 million piece of equipment to protect the First Responders. They do get hit, sometimes minor, sometimes major. Currently, to get a new fire truck, the waiting list is almost 2 years. If the truck is hit, it gets put out of service and the next major structure fire, especially apartments, hotels, or commercial, needs to rely on another one of their trucks or if they do not have one neighboring department. If victims are trapped, seconds count. The Woodlands had an incident in 2005 when the Copperwood Apartments caught fire. However, there a ladder truck that broke down. Firefighters braved flames lapping at them as they rescued the elderly residents of balconies on the second and third floors.

Here in Montgomery County there has been a rash of crashes in the past year, three in the past week. Last week, an MCSO Sergeant was on the overpass of SH 249 at Hardin Store, his lights were on just before noon. An 18-wheeler had broken down, and he was blocking the lane. A driver on his cell phone, driving a full-size van, slammed into the back of the Tahoe. The impact was so great that the front seat broke. The Sgt is now on leave from work due to a back injury. Luckily, he had his seat belt on; if not, he would have had a more serious injury if thrown to the floor. Then, early Sunday morning, a crash on I-69. After EMS followed a drunk driver who crashed into the guardrail, Porter Fire responded with one of their older 2000-gallon tankers to block the lanes. With the left lane still open, drivers were speeding by at highway speeds, not slowing down. An impaired driver slammed into the front of the fire truck and then slammed into the rear of a wrecker. The wrecker driver was injured. If the tanker had not been there, the driver would have run right into the first responders on the scene. Not even 12 hours later, as a DPS Trooper worked a crash at I-69 and Antique near the New Caney Post Office, a drunk slammed into the rear of his patrol vehicle, destroying it.  Back in May of this year, Woodlands Fire and Needham Fire were on the scene of a crash on I-45 at SH 242 when a driver in a hurry slammed into the $3 million ladder truck, putting it out of service, and then a Woodlands Engine, damaging it.  Last May East Montgomery County Fire units were on a crash scene at I-69 and East River when a Casino Bus slammed into it. Several months prior a North Montgomery County Ladder truck was on I-45, blocking lanes, when it was struck and put out of service.   In March 0f 2024, a South Montgomery County Fire Truck was on I-45 at Rayford on a HAZMAT Spill. A Toyota slammed into the 75,000-pound ladder truck ,pushing it with three firefighters inside, the female motorist was pronounced deceased.  and Once again, had it not been there, there would have been several dead or injured first responders. Just this morning a crash on I-45 in rush hour traffic happened over SH 105. Conroe officials completely closed the freeway. Something TXDOT frowns on, but there is no worry then of a driver slamming into the scene. In the area around Houston, Departments are starting to use the same method, closing the entire side of the freeway as drivers refuse to obey the SLOW DOWN MOVE OVER LAW.  Today is 7 years since DPS Trooper Nipper made a traffic stop on I-35 and was struck and killed by another motorist.

EAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY-I69 AT EAST RIVER

DRUNK DRIVER HITS MONTGOMERY FIRE TRUCK HEAD ON KILLING PASSENGER MONTGOMERY FIRE TRUCK HIT BY DRUNK DRIVER

DRUNK DRIVER HIT WRECKER AND FIRE TRUCK SH 99 AT i-69 DRUNK DRIVER HITS DPS TROOPER I-69 AT EAST RIVER i-69 AT sH 99 DRUNK DRIVER HITS FIRE TRUCK AND WRECKLER

The Carrollton Fire Department near Dallas decided instead of a fire truck, another object would be a lot less expensive and do the same job. It is a large trailer, and lo and behold, on its second scene, it was struck on I-35. It did its job, though, protecting the First Responders behind it. The driver who hit it was distracted and driving too fast. The car hit the trailer, which is designed to deflect the impact, which it did.  Designated “MB-115” it is the first of its kind in the U.S., a mobile barrier purposely designed and built for emergency response. Unlike previous generations of mobile barriers, it is designed to deflect impacts, reducing the chance of injury to those who hit it. It’s a battleship, weighted by tanks that hold nearly 3,000 gallons of water. At a total weight of 80,000 pounds, MB115 can certainly take a direct hit but is deployed at an angle, making a direct hit unlikely. MB115 will protect citizens, first responders, and Carrollton’s emergency vehicles. The barrier is manufactured by Mobile Barriers of  Golden, Colorado.  The Mobile Barriers is covered up to 90% by HSIP and other federal funds such as NHPP, STBGP, and FEMA.

FROM MOBILE BARRIERS:

Firetrucks damaged by secondary crashes can be time-consuming & costly to repair. With fire trucks out of service for several weeks or months, departments may be forced to operate with reserve equipment or reduced capabilities. The Mobile Barriers ERB^TM is the first traffic barrier in the country specially made for First Responders. Mobile Barriers ERB^TM is a highly mobile traffic barrier system designed to block errant vehicles and help protect Fire, EMT, and Police emergency response teams & equipment.

Mobile Barriers ERB^TM is based upon the award-winning Mobile Barriers MBT-1® which has proven itself repeatedly by blocking and redirecting cars and trucks while protecting road workers. With around 1,000,000 lbs. (4450000 N) of sheer strength, the ERB^TM can stop a car, pickup, or straight truck in a direct 90-degree impact of at least 45 mph (72 km). It’s capable of stopping or deflecting even more, particularly when angled to the approach.

The ERB’s mobility enables rapid response and its two parallel wall sections make it simple to deploy to the left or right. The ERB drives at speed like a semi-trailer and can quickly be positioned across multiple lanes. Its signage and TMA can be pivoted toward approaching traffic, and it can help carry materials and water to accident scenes. The ERB’s design enables easy visual inspection, repair, and modular replacement in the case of an incident.

• 45ft [13.7 m] of highly portable, multi-use protection for rapid deployment.

• Modular, efficient, and self-contained for easy visual inspection & repair.

• Integrated TMA, signage, lights, water tank, storage, and more.

In Texas, the “Move Over or Slow Down” law requires drivers to either change to a non-adjacent lane or slow down to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit when passing a stationary emergency vehicle, TxDOT vehicle, tow truck, or utility service vehicle with flashing lights on. If the posted speed limit is 25 mph or less, drivers must slow down to 5 mph. The law was expanded in 2025 to include animal control vehicles and officers.