09/14/2026
Great reminder from our friends in Galway!
YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THE EMERGENCY FROM THE ROADBLOCK.
You see cones.
You see an “EMERGENCY INCIDENT AHEAD” sign.
You see Fire Police or police officers standing in the roadway telling you that you can’t continue.
But what you may NOT see is what’s happening beyond them.
Around the bend there could be firefighters stretching hose across the roadway.
EMS could be treating someone seriously injured.
There could be a major crash, downed power lines, debris in the roadway, leaking fuel, an active police investigation, or emergency crews working in an area that simply isn’t safe for traffic.
The person standing at that roadblock knows what is ahead.
You don’t.
Maybe you’re running late.
Maybe the detour is inconvenient.
Maybe you can’t understand why the road is closed because, from where you are sitting, you don’t see anything happening.
But please don’t drive around the cones.
Don’t try to squeeze past.
Don’t argue with the Fire Police officer or police officer directing traffic.
And don’t assume the road is safe simply because you can’t see the emergency.
In 2025, 35 emergency responders were struck and killed by vehicles while assisting the public on our roadways. Sixteen of them were law-enforcement officers and three were Fire/EMS responders.
Roadway scenes are dangerous enough without responders also having to worry about someone ignoring a road closure.
If you are told to stop, turn around or follow a detour, please do it.
You don’t have to see the emergency to respect the roadblock.
Those few extra minutes of inconvenience may help make sure that the people working beyond that roadblock get to go home.
