NJ firefighters joyriding in a ladder truck leads to pole being struck
Ridgefield Park TDA taken out for a spin
A young Ridgefield Park, New Jersey firefighter has been suspended for six months after taking the department’s tractor drawn aerial for a joyride with a firefighter from another company and sideswiping a utility pole.
While this not be a major crime, the thought process on this one is a bit astounding. Even if they didn’t hit the pole, what goes through someone’s mind to make them believe driving a TDA down the street won’t be noticed and possibly get back to the officers of the fire company?
And yes, I know they are young and all excited about the idea and that I am old. They are just lucky it was only minor damage. This story might be a bit different if the rig was totaled or heavily damaged. Just seems like this was doomed to fail from the start.
Meghan Grant, northjersey.com:
The firefighter, Connor O’Grady, allegedly took one of the firetrucks out for a ride at about 10 p.m. on July 13 with a firefighter from Bogota steering the rear of the rig, according to Mayor George Fosdick.
“When they went around a turn, they sideswiped a telephone pole,” said Fosdick, who is also the public safety commissioner. “The best way I could describe it was – they were scared to death and didn’t know what to do.”
Officials were not aware of the incident until July 22, after O’Grady came forward to his father, another firefighter. Fire Chief James VanDerTulip filed an accident report with the police and suspended Connor O’Grady for 60 days, the mayor said.
