A Salt Lake County firefighter was seriously injured in a traffic accident as she was heading to battle a wildfire in Idaho on Friday.
Dawn McSchinsky was part of a 10-member crew dispatched to a 15,000-acre fire near Salmon, Idaho. About 20 miles south of there, the truck they were riding in hit a rut about 11 a.m., Salt Lake County Fire Capt. Bill Brass said.The rut caused the driver to veer and overcorrect. He lost control and the truck ended up on its side.
McSchinsky suffered a collapsed lung and other internal injuries in the crash. Paramedics airlifted her to St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula, Mont., where she was in good condition after surgery Saturday.
The other firefighters sustained only minor injuries, Brass said. Another 10-member team was sent to replace the original crew. A wrecker was bringing the truck back.