PHOTOS: When the Evanston Fire Department goes out on an alarm call, getting to the scene of the emergency quickly can be a matter of life or death – but arriving there safely is just as important.
From Jan. 1, 2019, through Nov. 5, 2022, the EFD reported 65 accidents involving a city-owned vehicle, according to data released to the RoundTable though a Freedom of Information Act request. The majority of the incidents (58, or 89% of the total) were described as minor. Five incidents resulted in some damage and two involved significant damage.
As part of the budget development process, the Evanston Fire Department has set a goal to reduce the number of vehicle accidents in 2023 to less than 10.
The EFD is not alone with respect to vehicular accidents. In fact, the safety issues surrounding traffic accidents and emergency vehicles – firetrucks, ambulances and police vehicles – has been studied at both the federal and local levels.