D.C. firetrucks are involved in an average of two traffic accidents a week, forcing many out of service when they should be responding to emergencies, city officials say.
Most crashes are minor -- fender-benders or swipes of parked cars -- but officials are concerned about the potential for serious trouble. In the last fiscal year, 20 people were injured, including nine civilians. No one was killed.
...Hoping to reverse the trend, the District is putting a stronger emphasis on training. The city recently began training rookies on a $760,000 driving simulator akin to a high-tech video game. It has a seat that bounces like an amusement park ride when the driver goes over a virtual speed bump or curb -- or crashes into a tree. Experienced firefighters will take turns on the simulator, too.
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