Westlake Fire Department — Local services in Katy

Urgent Safety Hazard: Unmarked Fire Engine at High Speed Endangers Motorists

As a concerned parent driving a vehicle filled with children, I recently experienced a deeply alarming and unequivocally dangerous encounter on May 15, 2025 at about 7:45 am at coming from the station on Psalms and Fry road. A full-sized fire engine, an immense and formidable vehicle, unexpectedly passed my vehicle at what I assessed to be emergency speeds, yet it displayed absolutely no emergency lights whatsoever. This lack of visual warning is not only a severe deviation from established safety protocols but also demonstrates a profound disregard for the well-being of the surrounding motoring public. We, as drivers, are conditioned through years of experience and public safety campaigns to identify emergency vehicles by their flashing lights and accompanying sirens. These visual cues are paramount, providing the critical advance notice required to react safely and yield the right of way to these large, rapidly moving vehicles. The absence of these essential signals transforms a potentially predictable encounter into a high-risk situation. In my case, the sudden appearance of a multi-ton fire engine traveling at speed without any visual indication of an emergency response was jarring and frankly, terrifying. Had I initiated a lane change or maneuver without anticipating such an unmarked, high-speed approach, the consequences could have been catastrophic. The sheer mass and momentum of a fire engine at speed leave virtually no margin for error. While I can appreciate the urgency inherent in emergency responses, bypassing the fundamental safety measure of utilizing emergency lights is utterly unacceptable, particularly for a vehicle of this size and weight. The rationale that might, in extremely limited circumstances, apply to smaller law enforcement vehicles operating without lights for specific tactical reasons, holds absolutely no validity for a fire engine. The primary function of a fire engine in transit to an emergency is to reach the scene swiftly and safely, and ensuring its visibility is an indispensable component of that safety. To operate such a large vehicle at emergency speeds without the universally recognized visual warning is an egregious oversight that needlessly endangers countless lives. It undermines the very safety principles that emergency services are sworn to uphold. This incident has left me with significant concerns about the operational protocols and safety consciousness of the involved department. I urge a thorough review of this incident and a reaffirmation of the critical importance of utilizing all emergency signals when operating at emergency speeds, without exception. The safety of our community depends on it.

Ps. That ran a red light with...

i called the fire department today about a 3 month old kitten trapped in the storm drain. The kitten had been in the drain for about 3 days. The crew arrived and of course we were so happy that they were here because we thought that they would be able to rescue the kitten. Nothing was resolved. The firefighters did not have a plan for the rescue and instead of helping they made the matter worse. They opened the man hole where the kitten was crying and put the ladder down the man hole causing alot of noise. they were laughing talking very loud which would only make the kitten scared and run away. The kitten ran further away because he was scared. They then went into a second man hole where the kitten was running toward. They opened the second man hole leaving the 1st man hole unattended. go figure. The firefighters spotted the kitten in the drain by the street and tried to grab it and scared it further away. They then closed the man hole and returned to the where they started and told me that there was nothing they could do. He went on to tell me he was not going to jeopardize his crews life. Not sure how that could be.I went onto to tell them that they made matters worse. This was a terrible experience. I thought that firefighters would have better execution and better planning and didn't seem to know what they were doing 100%. While it may not have meant much to them to save a kitten it meant everything to me. When they arrived I explained to them all the manholes and the situation. If they would have had a plan they would have gone to the second man hole 1st before attempting to open the man hole where the kitten was crying. Terrible terrible terrible the little kitten will probably perish. Very disappointing to see the interest and execution of our fire dept. on what they seem to classify as unimportant. Their actions showed that they did not really take the situation serious resulting in a failed attempt to rescue a little life in the drain. My...

It WAS Shocking at first, but then cool, that y'all rode thru my complex with Santa on the high water rescue truck... what wasn't cool was when you were leaving, one person had the middle finger hanging out the passenger side of an ambulance. As a former military medic turned restaurant manager and parent, I expected better behavior and was deeply disappointed to have the event end with my kids going 'omg mom, do you see that? He's...