After rollover, fire chief's primary concern was firefighter's wellbeing

ROYAL CITY — After a fire truck with Grant County Fire District No. 10 rolled over on Road I Northwest last Sunday, Chief Eric Linn’s primary concern was the wellbeing of the firefighter injured in the crash.

“Our first and primary concern is that firefighter (Samantha) Wright is okay both physically and emotionally,” Linn said. “The health and wellbeing of our members always come first.”

Wright was driving a 1992 International 4000 fire truck south on Road I Northwest when the brakes locked, causing the vehicle to roll onto the driver’s side, blocking the southbound lanes, according to the Washington State Patrol.

State troopers concluded the accident occurred because the vehicle was going too fast to compensate for the 750 gallons of water stored in the vehicle. Wright was extricated from the fire truck by fellow firefighters and was transported to Samaritan Hospital for her injuries, which the Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported were minor.

The 27-year-old fire truck Wright was driving had been modified “to very high safety standards,” making an estimate of the damage difficult to calculate, Linn said.

“Whatever the cost, it will never be as high as the value of Firefighter Sam Wright,” Linn said. “She is an incredible public servant, a valued member of the department and someone who the community respects very much.”

Wright was alone in the fire truck when it rolled over. Linn said that better staffing, which might allow the department to put multiple people into each truck, was out of reach for the rural fire district.

“It would be great to have an entire truck full of firefighters on every call, but we know that it’s not going to happen, especially in rural areas which depend on the time and talents of volunteers,” Linn said.

Many of the county’s fire districts, each of which can cover hundreds of square miles, have expressed a significant need for more volunteers.

The state patrol investigated the accident and declined to issue a citation, instead handing over its findings to the agency to make a determination, said WSP public information officer John Bryant. When asked whether Wright would face disciplinary action for her role in the accident, Linn said that the department would use the incident as a teaching moment.

“From an agency standpoint, we understand we are held to a high standard, and we will use this incident as an opportunity to address safety in order to prevent this from happening again,” Linn said.