D.C. fire officials say drivers are double-parking near firehouses, leading to delays that could have life-or-death consequences.
Firefighters at 414 8th St. SE more frequently see ride-share and delivery drivers parked in the marked area, often leaving vehicles unattended.
Saturday, when firefighters there were rushing to a call for a crash on Interstate 295, they were blocked by a double-parked car.
“They were blasting their airhorn and their siren,” said Vito Maggiolo of D.C. Fire and EMS. “Nobody came to the vehicle initially. When the driver did come out, he was very nonchalant about it. No sense of urgency.”
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The firefighters were supposed to be blocking the road to prevent other vehicles from entering the scene where other firefighters were trying to help the injured, Maggiolo said.
“We just try to do our best to get to the people who need help, and we ask our citizens to allow us to accomplish that mission,” he said.
He said it’s become a common occurrence across the city.
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“You should never park or do anything that’s going to impede the response of an emergency vehicle,” Maggiolo said.
D.C. Fire and EMS said it will work with police and Department of Transportation to address the problem.
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