MUSKEGON, Mich. — Whenever you see emergency vehicles along a roadway, you should always stay out of their way and give them room to work.
But what if there's a fire hose across the road? Can't you just drive over it?
No, you can't. And doing so is actually considered a civil infraction, which means you could be ticketed for it.
On Monday, firefighters in Muskegon worked to put out a house fire. As they did, multiple vehicles drove over the hose in the roadway. They had to call for police assistance to manage the situation.
Section 257.680 of the Michigan Legislature says that driving over an unprotected fire hose is a violation as a civil infraction:
(1) A streetcar or vehicle shall not be driven over an unprotected hose of a fire department when laid down on a street, private driveway, or streetcar track, to be used at a fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the fire department official in command.
(2) A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction.
The reason why is not just to stay out of the firefighter's way as they work to put out a fire, but it's also for everyone in the area's safety.
A fire hose is nothing like your garden hose at home. Water moves through firehoses at a much higher speed and pressure. Therefore, if you drive over one you run the risk of causing a burst in the hose, which can cause major damage.
A burst could be so severe that it could injure anyone nearby, including the person driving over it, and cause damage to their car.
So, next time you see firefighters at work, treat it the same you would any emergency vehicle. Slow down and scan the area before passing through. And if there's a fire hose across the roadway, turn around and find another route.
