By Mary O’KEEFE

On Feb. 2, Jeff Dye, 50, a member of the Fillmore Search and Rescue team, with other emergency responders was assisting a victim involved in a rollover accident when another driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the emergency responders. Dye was killed and three other Fillmore Search and Rescue team members were seriously injured. The accidents occurred on the Golden State (5) Freeway near Pyramid Lake during heavy rain.

California Highway Patrol received calls about the rollover crash about 7 a.m. The Fillmore Search and Rescue members were on their way to a training exercise when they stopped to give assistance. Los Angeles County Fire also responded. At about 8 a.m. the driver of an SUV lost control of his vehicle and slammed into the early responders, fatally injuring Dye and injuring three members of the search and rescue team and a LACoFD responder.

Ventura Sheriff Dept. Captain Matthews knew Dye and, although he was not on scene, said from witness reports this was a tragic accident caused by the SUV driver traveling too fast in the rain.

“What happened to Jeff was very avoidable,” he said.

He said the responders are trained in traffic safety and the emergency vehicles had their warning lights on and were off to the side of the road when the SUV hit a berm losing control.

Matthews added these types of multiple accidents are, unfortunately, common.

“The problem is there are long stretches of road and [at times] drivers can’t see far [in front of them],” he said.

Matthews used to be on the helicopter unit and would often see duplicate accidents.

“They (drivers) are just driving too fast,” he said.

He praised the volunteer search and rescue team members who get paid $1 a year.

“They come out to help,” he said “They are selfless.”

When it rains the roads can become slick causing automobiles to hydroplane. Hydroplaning is when the tires of vehicles ride on top of standing water instead of on the surface of the road. This can occur when there is a small amount of rain on the roadway or a downpour. Drivers often do not realize the effects of hydroplaning.

The Montrose Search and Rescue team works primarily in the Angeles National Forest on the Angeles Crest Highway. There are a lot of dangerous curves along the highway that can be difficult to navigate in good weather, let alone when the roads are slick.

“That could have been any of us,” said Janet Henderson, MSAR team leader, of the fatal crash that took Dye’s life.

MSAR members are often on the roadways responding to car or motorcycle accidents. Henderson said that often drivers will ignore flashing emergency lights on the vehicles of safety personnel.

She doesn’t understand why drivers do not slow down when it rains.

“We are all going to get where we need to be,” she said. “When I was on patrol, I watched a driver pull out and cross a double yellow line in front of three or four cars.”

That driver got behind the MSAR truck and, probably after realizing it was an official vehicle, slowed down.

“Later we saw that driver at a turnout,” she said. “He had a child in his car.”

Emergency responders are trained how to respond to victims on the road; however, accidents occur so fast, like the one on Feb. 2, that there isn’t much time for them to quickly get to safety.

“We learn never to turn our back on traffic,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Ryan Bejar.

He added seeing drivers going too fast on wet roads is common despite drivers not seeming to be prepared for wet weather driving.

“Often we go to scenes of accidents and see there is no tread on tires,” Bejar said.

Drivers forget that having good tires and the right tire pressure are important as well as driving at a safe speed, which in the rain may be below the posted speed limit.

Another thing drivers tend to forget is that it is illegal to drive on the shoulder of the highway at any time but especially when trying to drive past cars that are stopped on the freeway.

“When you see emergency lights you are to stay 300 feet away from the [emergency] vehicle,” he said.

If there is an emergency vehicle anywhere on the road with its lights on, as when responding to an accident, the driver is to slow down and, if possible, move to another lane. If this is not done the driver can be cited.

With more rain in the forecast it is important to remember that emergency responders are on the roadways risking their lives to help others. Driving too fast, being distracted and not being prepared and aware of wet weather dangers can result in a fatal mistake.