From E & E news (subscription required, so I won’t post the link), a news item that requires no commentary:
Emissions Device May Have Cut Power to Ambulance on Way to Hospital
A U.S. EPA-mandated device meant to reduce diesel emissions may have shut down an ambulance carrying a suspect who had been shot by police in Washington, D.C.
While medics yesterday were transporting the injured man, who was suspected of shooting at officers, to the hospital, the emergency vehicle shut down. Another ambulance took the man to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
D.C. fire officials said the shutdown likely occurred because of a device designed to burn diesel toxins. When the device isn’t working, warning lights go off in the vehicle and it eventually loses power.
“To my knowledge, it’s never created a problem for us, but something happened on this call,” Washington Fire Deputy Chief John Donnelly said.
Officials plan to look at the ambulance’s data recorder to determine the exact cause of the shutdown once the vehicle can be inspected.
Per EPA regulations, the device is required on all newer models of diesel vehicles. Critics of the mandate have previously called for an exemption for emergency vehicles.
“We’re not in a position to fight the EPA regulations, and we’re not even going to try,” Donnelly said (Ken Molestina, WUSA9, May 30). — JE
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