First responders such as firefighters are known for their bravery and willingness to risk their lives in order to protect others, even if those others are strangers. Perhaps the bravest are those who serve as volunteer firefighters — those who risk their lives for no monetary compensation. While these volunteers might expect to be injured while helping others, it is a shock when their death comes as a result of a senseless, preventable accident. A North Carolina community is mourning the loss of one of their local firefighters after he lost his life in such an accident.
The accident happened in late April. A large pickup truck was driving in the opposite direction of a sedan when road conditions were compromised due to rain. According to police records, the truck hydroplaned before the 20-year-old driver lost control and hit the sedan driven by the 24-year-old firefighter, sending it off the road and through a fence.
Attempts to resuscitate the firefighter were unsuccessful. The driver of the truck now faces criminal charges. Investigating police officers claim the driver was traveling at unsafe speeds because of the road conditions.
The deceased was loved and admired by many and will be mourned by his entire community. No one, however, will feel the effects of his death more strongly than his family, which included his 4-month-old son. Not only must the family deal with the emotional toll related to the loss of their loved ones, they must also deal with the financial toll that will result in funeral experiences and perhaps the loss of his income. A judgment in their favor on behalf of the victim by a North Carolina civil court could help alleviate the family’s financial burden as well as provide some degree of closure to the horrific incident.
Source: The Dispatch, “Man charged in fatal accident on N.C. 47,” Darrick Ignasiak, April 28, 2013