Lubbock, TX, Fire Lt. Eric Hill.
Lubbock, TX, Fire Department
This holiday, a new Lubbock organization is shining a light on the importance of first responders in our community. It’s been nearly a year since tragedy struck three Lubbock first responders who were providing emergency services to a vehicle that had flipped during an ice storm on Interstate 27. A driver heading south in the early hours of Jan. 11, 2020, veered into the center median and opposite-bound lanes, striking Lubbock Fire Rescue Lt. Eric Hill, police officer Nicholas Reyna, and firefighter Matthew Dawson. Dawson was hospitalized in critical condition. Reyna was pronounced dead at the scene, while Hill died a short time later at the hospital.
Over the past 10 years, an average of 230 first responders have died per year in the line of duty. This includes 70 firefighter-EMTs and more than 160 police officers per year—public servants who give their lives in service to their communities. In memory of these brave heroes, the parents of one such first responder—Hill, who died on that icy January morning—have created an initiative to draw attention to the safety and importance of first responders in our Lubbock community.
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Mark and Susan Hill say they launched the 5-5-5 initiative “to keep Eric’s legacy alive. Firemen have told us that Eric was a really great paramedic, and that there are people alive today in Lubbock due to his skills.” Eric’s parents say that, because they aren’t trained to save lives in the way their son was, they’ve found another way. “Our goal is get a message out through the 5-5-5 initiative, (asking) Lubbockites to drive safer and therefore hopefully saving both their lives and first responders’ lives.”
Plan, Act, Love
So, what is 5-5-5, and what’s the meaning behind the name? In a storied tradition among American fire crews, bells were used to relay information from one fire house to another. When a series of five bells were rung three times, it was a sign to the fire brotherhood that one of their own had died in the line of duty.
Today, Mark and Susan Hill have chosen to honor this firefighter tradition by giving “5-5-5” new meaning. “Our goal is to have as many drivers in Lubbock as possible remember the 5-5-5 Plan/Act/Love message every day.”
The first “5” asks Lubbockites to plan for five possible dangers before leaving home each day. These may include weather, errant joggers, construction, a traffic accident, or children playing in the road.
The second “5” asks motorists to consider five actions to protect themselves against these dangers. Protections could include leaving early, slowing down, taking a different route, turning cellphones off, or even staying home.
And the third “5”? “I talked to Eric on the phone the day before the accident,” says Mark. “And now that conversation means the world to me. So we want to encourage everyone to hug or contact five people you love every day.”
Plan, Act, Love. Seems simple enough. And yet, through these simple actions, the Hills believe we can all help to prevent another tragedy like the one that occurred on Jan. 11.
For those who’re interested, there’s another simple measure you can take to help: The organization is offering 5-5-5 stickers on its website, 555safety.com, and hoping Lubbockites will help spread the word. “We’re trying to get them on as many vehicles in town as possible. Our hope is that when someone sees one on a car it will not only remind them of Eric and the others involved that day, [it] will also remind them to slow down and drive a little safer that day.”
Move Over, Slow Down
The Hills say the most important action drivers can take is to “move over and slow down.” In fact, the initiative held its first annual “Move Over Slow Down Rally” this year on Oct. 17, national Move Over and Slow Down Day. So far this year, say the Hills, there have been 43 first responders killed by motorists in the United States – including the ones in Lubbock on Jan. 11. Texas Law says that once you see flashing red/blue or amber lights on the roadway, you must move over at least one lane. If you can’t move over, you must slow down to at least 15 mph below the posted speed limit.
Additional projects 5-5-5 has been involved with include meeting with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection to request that roadway safety be a part of fire-training curriculum, as well as asking for continuing-education requirements for firefighters. The Hills also say that Lubbock Fire Rescue is working with Texas Tech University to
test helmets for first responders that are better suited for working roadway incidents.
“Eric didn’t think of himself as a hero at all,” says Mark Hill. “I don’t think many first responders would [think of themselves this way] either. Yet he was out there on a cold, snowy, icy morning doing his job, trying to help those in need, and he ended up giving his life while serving others. He is our hero, for sure.”
Eric’s mother, Susan, agrees. “Aside from being a fireman and cowboy, Eric was a great daddy to his two daughters. They were his pride and joy. Also, Eric loved the open range and horses, and he lived life to the fullest. He gave 100% at anything he attempted.”
In the end, the Hills are trying to encourage small, daily changes that can result in the prevention of major tragedies. “We don’t want any other family—especially first responder families – to go through what we are going through.”
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(c)2020 the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Lubbock, Texas)
Visit the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Lubbock, Texas) at www.lubbockonline.com
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