At approximately 12 a.m. Sunday, June 29, the Floral Park Fire Department was alerted to yet another aided case bringing the number of aided cases the department has responded to so far this year to over 600.

According to fire personnel, while operating at a somewhat routine aided case, two of the departments chief's cars were struck and severely damaged by a driver who was immediately taken into police custody by the Floral Park Police Department. Both vehicles sustained a tremendous impact and body damage in addition to drive train damage and bent chassis rails; one was even pushed over the curb and onto the sidewalk. Several pieces of emergency equipment were sheared from their mounting brackets in the vehicles and propelled into the front passenger compartments.

Fortunately, at this time, most of the fire department personnel were providing patient care and removing the patient down three flights of stairs. Had the accident happened one minute later, when the department's first responders and the patient were on the street near the ambulance, many of Floral Park's EMS First Responders could have suffered severe injuries.

The Floral Park Fire Department wishes to remind all drivers that the best way to avoid the confusion of an emergency scene, whether it is police or fire personnel, they should drive down another street.