As part of an effort to increase awareness to the residents of the town of Cicero, the Cicero Fire Department is working with other town fire departments and officials to implement a new ordinance to prohibit town residents from leaving basketball hoops at the edge of the roadway, which pose a safety hazard to traffic.
Over the years, the Cicero Fire Department over the years has experienced firsthand the dangers of these basketball hoops being left at the edge of the roadway. In the fall of 2000, Cicero Engine No. 3 was responding to an alarm on Jerusalem Drive when a passing school bus was approaching in the oncoming lane. In order to avoid hitting the bus, the driver of the engine was unable avoid a collision with the basketball hoop/rim which was sticking out into the roadway. The rim of the basketball hoop hit the passenger side of the windshield, breaking it. As a result, the engine was unable to make it to the original alarm it was alerted for.
Another incident took place in the spring of 2010, when Cicero Engine No. 2 was responding to an alarm on Alizarin Avenue during the evening hours. The driver of the engine was unable to see a basketball hoop/rim sticking out into the road as it struck the passenger side mirror, breaking it and causing additional damage to the vehicle.
In both these instances, the department was fortunate that no one was injured. However, damage was caused to both vehicles, requiring them to be repaired and placed out of service and thus unavailable to respond to emergencies.
As we enter the spring and summer season, the department is asking the residents of the town of Cicero to remove basketball hoops from the end of the roadway, as not only do they pose a danger to fire apparatus, but also to school buses, DPW and delivery vehicles.
