Off Duty Officials Jump Into Action After Fatal Key Biscayne Crash
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KEY BISCAYNE (CBSMiami) – Firefighters and police officers will tell you they are never off duty.
Key Bicayne Fire Rescue Chief Eric Lane was traveling across the Rickenbacker when cars began coming to a sudden stop.
"I was on my way to Home Depot, off-duty," said Chief Lang.
Behind him a City of Miami Police Officer.
As they both approached the scene they found a wrecked limo along with a motorcyclist thrown onto the road. They also saw a tuxedoed passenger from the limo giving the motorcyclist CPR.
"The limo had the bride and the bridesmaids inside," said witness Aquilino Navarro.
The man in the tuxedo was from the limo and also an off-duty Miami-Dade County firefighter.
"Part of our job in emergencies is to react and we have a plan and we understand how to communicate," said Chief Lang. "I didn't know the guy in the suit that was going to a wedding was a fire fighter paramedic. Pretty quickly he told me he was he told me he worked for the city and I told him I worked for Key Biscayne and I put a pair of gloves on and I handed him a pair of gloves."
The three off-duty emergency professionals had to also figure out how to control traffic so other emergency vehicles could make it to the scene.
The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital but died on the way. Minor injuries were sustained by the passengers who were inside of the limo.
Chief Lang says even though it was a horrible day, it was good to see three agencies coming together and proving they take 'protect and serve' seriously.
"It was really a team effort I thought the timing was very quick it's a tragic accident," said Chief Lang.
Authorities have not released the identity of the person who died.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
