No-risk emergency

Jun. 25—ASOTIN — Imagine you're driving a fire engine to an emergency, and a front tire blows.

What do you do? (Hint: The correct answer may not be your first instinct.)

Don't hit the brakes, said a driving expert; just "power and muscle through it" with your foot on the gas, until you can let off and get safely to the right side of the road.

Dwayne Paris, mayor of Asotin and a volunteer firefighter, said that scenario happened to him on Alpowa Grade in a fire engine. A second tire blew a few miles later.

That's one of the reasons Paris encouraged area firefighters, police and school bus drivers to step inside an air-conditioned trailer and get some tips from Melissa Palmer, who operates a driving simulator provided by the city's insurance carrier, Clear Risk Solutions.

Palmer, of Ephrata, spent the week in Asotin offering refreshers on the rules of the road, using an arcade-like driver's seat and three large video screens. The service was provided free of charge to the city, and the entire staff and fire crew participated, along with some Asotin-Anatone School District bus drivers and Asotin County Fire District firefighters.

"The goal is to make drivers more aware of their surroundings and how to react in certain situations," Palmer said. "There are a lot of distractions, and people need to pay attention. It's not always how fast you can get to an emergency, but how to get there safely."

School bus operators have to keep their eyes on the road, check the rearview mirrors and monitor the kids, which makes their jobs challenging, Palmer said.

During the simulation, she instructed participants to get the bus up to 30 mph and then close their eyes for three seconds. That's how long the average distraction can take, and the results can be devastating, Palmer said. Kids on bicycles, traffic and pedestrians can emerge in a split second.

Some of the demonstrations included fog, icy conditions, snow, rain and hail, to help drivers know what to do in all weather situations.

Paris recalled a marine event in Asotin that occurred in the winter when the roads were slick. In order to maintain safety, the emergency response vehicles could only drive 15 mph on their way to the Snake River accident, he said.

"I think this is very helpful as a refresher for what to safely do in those types of conditions," he said. "And it's nice to share this resource with Asotin County and the school district."

Sandaine may be contacted at [email protected] or (208) 848-2264. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.

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