Rainy weather adds layer of responsibility for first responders
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - May 26 and 27 marked hours of soaking rain; temporarily flooding streets, swelling up ditches and creeks and putting first responders on notice.
Northstar paramedic Grant Madison is an eight-year veteran in the emergency medical field.
“Weather is a huge consideration of what I think of,” said Madison.
It’s the very first thing Madison thinks about before climbing in a 95-hundred pound ambulance after getting that 911 call.
Tuesday, May 27 was no exception in Tuscaloosa County. It rained for much of the morning, adding another responsibility for Madison.
“There is a greater stopping distance. You’re on high alert at all times,” said Madison.
Madison is not alone. Alex Miles is with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Department. He’s in the same boat when it comes to rainy weather safety.
Consider this; both the sheriff’s department and Northstar cover all of Tuscaloosa County, all 13-hundred plus square miles, or to put it another way, similar in size to the state of Rhode Island.
“Torrential rain causes a lot of hydroplaning issues. There is standing water which can’t be seen because your vision is already obscured because of the heavy rainfall and the windshield wipers are going,” said Miles.
When the weather is like this, first responders like Madison and Miles also have to tap into another layer of knowledge and training; finding an alterative route that’s least likely to be flooded.
“You don’t always take the GPS route but there might be a quicker route that’s not flooded,” Madison said.
That can make all the difference when getting there in time is critical.
“If you become involved in a traffic accident or hydroplane, not only are you endangering yourself and others, you’re exasperating the situation,” Miles said.
The rules of the road for first responders; get there first but first get there safely.
Records with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Department show the department averages fewer than two weather-related accidents per year. For Northstar about three per year.
Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Copyright 2025 WBRC. All rights reserved.
