(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A southwest suburban fire department has a personal reason to encourage motorists to obey Scott’s Law. One of its fire engines was hit while fire crews responded to a crash.
"I’m just very grateful. It could have been a very unfortunate incident," according to Romeoville Fire Chief Kent Adams.
He said one of his department’s fire engines was totaled when a car smashed into it as it protected a traffic crash scene on I-55 in April.
Lt. Bob Rymsza said he and his crew were in an ambulance tending to a patient when the engine was hit.
"It hit home. Like I said, I was the officer on-scene and when I heard that, my heart sank," he said.
Rymsza said the driver of the car that hit the fire engine was critically injured.
"We’re trying to clear up that scene as fast as possible, as well, but the main message is to move over, slow down or stop."
Adams said the cost to replace the fire engine is going to be between $750,000 and one million dollars not to mention the $100,000 worth of equipment that was destroyed.
Rymza has recorded a public service announcement that has been posted on the Village of Romeoville's social media pages.
"We understand that everybody has someplace that they’re trying to be whether it’s work or an interview, going home but there’s an emergency scene," he explained.
"There’s people calling us on their worst days."
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