Highway Safety

The following terms shall be used during incident operations, post incident analysis, and training activities related to working in or near moving traffic.

Advance Warning – notification procedures that advise approaching motorists to transition from normal driving status to that required by the temporary emergency traffic control measures ahead of the them.

Blocker Vehicle – the initial on-scene emergency vehicle, preferably a fire apparatus, positioned on an angle to the lanes of traffic creating a physical barrier between upstream traffic and the work area. Includes “block to the left” or “block to the right”.

Buffer Zone – the empty, unoccupied space or distance between the shadow vehicle and the Blocker.

Downstream – passed the incident in the direction of normal traffic flow as it travels away from the incident scene.

Emergency Response Personnel – Fire, Police, EMS and any other personnel responding to assist at an emergency scene

Shadow Vehicle – the second due fire apparatus, which positions upstream of the Blocker vehicle, at an angle, to create the beginning of the buffer zone.

Taper – the action of merging several lanes of traffic into fewer lanes, utilizing traffic control devices. This action begins upstream of the shadow vehicle.

Temporary Work Zone – the physical area of a roadway with-in which emergency personnel perform their fire, EMS, and rescue tasks at a highway incident.(i.e. incident scene) The zone extends from the first warning device to an area where the moving traffic returns to original traffic patterns and are clear of the incident.

Transition Zone – the area / lane of roadway where approaching motorists change their speed and position to comply with the traffic control measures established at an incident scene.

Upstream - prior to the incident in the direction of normal traffic flow as the vehicles approach the temporary work zone.

Work Area – the protected area, immediately downstream of the Blocker vehicle, that contains ERP operating at a roadway incident.

HIGHWAY OPERATIONS

Understanding that there is no absolute means to protect ERP at the scene of an emergency incident on a LAH, personnel are urged to constantly keep in mind the “three guiding principles” when operating in or near moving traffic. Recognizing these three guiding principles will increase the margin of safety for personnel. The three guiding principles are:

Use traffic control devices such as signs, other emergency vehicles, or any other appropriate device that will warn or direct motorists away from an approaching emergency incident.

Position vehicles and traffic control devices in such a way that allows for adequate space between the point where the traffic is diverted and the actual incident scene. Fire apparatus should position in a manner that best protects the scene and work area. Such positioning affords protection to personnel from the hazards of working in or near motor vehicle traffic.

All personnel operating at the scene of a traffic related incident on a highway or roadway with moving traffic should wear highly visible, highly reflective garments to increase the ability of motorists to see the emergency response worker during day and night operations.

RESPONSE

General Information

Response to LAH incidents should be made by the agency that has the safest and most efficient access to the incident. This may require agreements to be executed so a municipality can cover incidents that are in another municipality or geographical area. Consideration should be given to using mutual aid to cover the opposite direction of the highway. Mutual aid should be considered to share and provide an adequate response and adequate resources. Once the location of the incident is determined, only essential vehicles should be committed to respond out onto the highway. All other apparatus should be returned or staged off the highway in an uncommitted location.

NO PERSONAL VEHICLES shall respond onto the highway or be permitted on the highway.

In accordance with standard ICS protocol, each responding organization should establish a liaison contact with other agencies as soon as possible to coordinate a safe work zone and to determine how best to resolve the incident and the expected length of time to re-establish normal traffic flows. If any responding organization feels it is essential for the safety of all operating personnel and the victims involved, any and all lanes and shoulders may be completely shut down. This however, should rarely occur and should be for as short a period of time as practical. This shall be accomplished only after consultation with the local and NJ State Police (NJSP) liaisons. The appropriate traffic control measures should then be implemented based on these estimates.

Because most, if not all, limited access highway’s are State roads, scene management responsibility for a traffic related incident on a LAH, shall be vested in the NJSP.

While still maintaining overall incident scene management responsibility, the NJSP may designate incident operations to another appropriate public safety agency in order to effectively and efficiently manage and coordinate the incident. These emergency incident operations may include vehicle fires, extrication of victims, treatment and transportation of patients, hazard mitigation, requesting additional resources, and placement of temporary traffic control devices.

For traffic related incidents involving multiple public safety agencies, a unified command should be implemented.

At any traffic related incident on a LAH, the incident command system shall be utilized and the appropriate positional assignments be given based on the nature of the incident.

Lane Designation (see diagram B)

Traffic Lanes for a LAH incident shall be considered from the approaching motorist’s direction of travel, and shall be designated as follows:

5 Lanes – left lane / left center lane / center lane / right center lane / right lane

When identifying the right or left shoulders of the highway, shoulder shall be identified as from the approaching motorists direction of travel, right or left.

POSITIONING of EMERGENCY VEHICLES

Initial arriving vehicle (“Blocker”)

ERP responding to a highway incident must first control the oncoming traffic before turning their attention to the emergency. When safe and appropriate to do so, the first arriving unit shall position upstream of the scene, as a safety barrier, to protect the work area. First arriving unit shall position itself with a “block” to either the left or right at a 45’ angle, with wheels turned all the way to the left or right, whichever is required to ensure the wheels are facing away from the scene. Ideally the blocking vehicle should be a fire department engine or aerial device to provide the maximum protection, however should another vehicle arrive first on scene, it shall position properly as described above. As the first due fire apparatus arrives on scene, it shall, as close as possible, mirror the other vehicle position.

The first arriving fire apparatus shall establish an initial block of the lane occupied by the damaged vehicle plus one additional traffic lane. Whenever possible, consideration shall be given to placing the pump panel and or driver away (downstream) from the traffic. Once a fire apparatus has blocked the scene, place additional vehicles such as an ambulances, etc, downstream from the blocker and beyond the actual incident in the protected work area. Be cognizant of headlights creating a hazard for drivers, and turn off all white lights that could hinder oncoming traffic.

Second Apparatus (“Shadow”)

If a second apparatus responds and positions at the scene, it should be placed at least 50 feet upstream of the Blocker vehicle, to help ensure an empty buffer zone.

EMS Units

EMS units shall always be positioned downstream of the incident, with-in the protected work area, with their rear loading doors angled away from the nearest lanes of moving traffic.

In circumstances where a motorist has become ill and has requested medical assistance, an EMS unit will be dispatched. In most cases the ill motorist will be parked off the highway and onto the shoulder area. The arriving EMS unit should follow the vehicle guidelines as indicated above.

On LAH incidents, it is recommended, but not mandatory, that a single Fire Apparatus from the department having jurisdiction or under response agreement be dispatched along with the EMS unit. This fire apparatus will provide protection as a blocker vehicle to increase the margin of safety for EMS personnel. Upon arrival, the apparatus shall position upstream of the incident with consideration given to maintaining control of the shoulder. Because of the variability of each incident;( such as location on or off the shoulder, weather, roadway conditions, time of day, etc.), as conditions dictate, the lateral buffer may need to be expanded into an active traffic lane, to increase the margin of safety. As with any incident, the proper display of emergency lights on fire apparatus will afford approaching motor vehicles visual warning prior to the actual incident scene increasing the safety margin of those responders.

Additional Units

The Operations Officer shall stage all uncommitted emergency vehicles, either Fire or EMS, off the LAH in such positions that will allow their rapid response into the incident scene should they be needed, or return any or all of those uncommitted units to service whenever possible. The parking of additional units shall be on the same side of the roadway as the incident, typically downstream of the incident.

Personnel Exiting Protocols

Emergency personnel should always look at approaching traffic before stepping out of vehicles. When possible, crew members should exit apparatus on the protected, downstream side. Utilize mirrors or windows to look at approaching traffic. If unable to utilize those, partially open door to view oncoming traffic. When walking around apparatus, maintain a low profile, always keeping an eye on on-coming traffic.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

Reflective Highway Apparel

Personnel should look to wear high visibility apparel at all times, day or night. Full structural PPE is acceptable as a minimum. Class II or III reflective vests are required whenever the fire coat is removed. Helmets shall be worn at all times when working in or near moving traffic.

Additional Traffic Control Devices

In addition to using vehicles to control traffic and protect personnel, other traffic control devices should be utilized to give advance warning to approaching traffic of a change in their normal traffic patterns. Personnel should always face traffic when placing or retrieving traffic control devices. Traffic control devices include:

Cones – Cones shall be minimum 28” tall, fluorescent, with two reflective bands at the top. The first cone shall be deployed at the corner of the blocker or shadow vehicle, where there is the least amount of space from moving traffic. Deploy additional cones at intervals while moving upstream, tapering at an angle. When deployed, they should be placed approximately a cars length apart, (or 10’-15’). Traffic cones should also be deployed downstream from the blocker or shadow vehicle, parallel to the incident and lanes of moving traffic. This will help identify the work area. Initial placement of cones should be accomplished by first due personnel. As time duration extends, greater advance warning of the temporary work zone should be considered. Law enforcement or NJ DOT personnel should accomplish this.

Signage – Deployment of an advance warning sign when fire personnel are working in or near moving traffic. High visibility fluorescent pink pop-up signs, “Emergency Scene Ahead” should be deployed upstream of the blocker and shadow vehicles and cones, as per the MUTCD.

General Safety Considerations

Responding Emergency Vehicles

ERP should utilize normal entrance and exit ramps to reverse or change direction

of travel. The use of median strip crossovers and U-turn access points in “jersey”

barriers is extremely hazardous and shall be utilized ONLY for extenuating

circumstances and /or when all traffic has been stopped. Under no circumstances

shall crossovers be utilized for non-emergency, routine changes in travel direction.

Vehicle Placement

Active Traffic Lanes

Once the incident has been stabilized and traffic control measures are in place,

consideration should be given to time of day, traffic concerns and traffic back-ups,

etc . Based on these factors, when conditions / operations permit, consideration

should be given to re-opening a blocked traffic lane, to improve the flow of traffic.

Termination

Push Made for Responder Safety on Highways

SUSAN NICOL KYLE
Firehouse.com News

GAITHERSBURG, MD -- As Americans hit the road this holiday weekend, they are being asked to be extremely cautious if they encounter a crash.

To insure the safety of everyone from first responders to police officers and tow truck operators, drivers are encouraged to slow down and move over.

That was the message delivered Tuesday morning as federal, state and local officials launched the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management (NUG). Increasing the public's awareness for safety on the nation's highways has to be a unified effort, said J. Richard Capka, Federal Highway Administrator.

Capka said agencies need to use technology to address the challenges of traffic congestion. "Safety is a huge problem for us," he said, adding that the highway is a very unsafe place for responders. The National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (NTIMC) -- comprised of various stakeholders -- has been addressing various issues for several years, and developed NUG.

The major objectives include responder safety; safe, quick clearance (of debris and vehicles from the highway) and prompt, reliable, interoperable communications between agencies. NTIMC members included representatives of national fire and EMS agencies, tow truck operators, highway officials, engineers, communications, and truck drivers. The executive director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) said firefighters have had "a long history dealing with safety."

Mark W. Light said it's essential that all disciplines work together to achieve the goal. Light said of the 248 vehicle incidents reported to the National Firefighter Near-Miss Program, more than 10 percent involved close calls on the highway.

"The NUG will provide a valuable tool to help improve responder safety," he said. The IAFC head also said it's important that Congress understand the importance of funding for better data collection. Paramedic Kevin McGinnis said a highway crash takes a toll on everyone including the motorists involved. "It's also scary for us as well," he said, adding that responders often get so busy with their work that traffic control is overlooked.

McGinnis, program advisor for the National Association of EMS Officials, said he was impressed with the cooperation of the coalition that has worked diligently on the project. Officials understand they have their work cut out for them. First, they have to get the public onboard with what's expected of them when they come across a highway incident. And, they also have to strengthen the partnerships of all those who respond to those occurrences.

Steve Austin, an official with the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, said the bottom goal is to keep everyone safe. "Today was a good day for first responders and the motoring public. This is a cooperative effort. We're in this together -- to keep people safe while they work on the highways and to do what we can do to reduce traffic congestion." Austin said NTIMC members have been made more aware of each other's responsibilities. "This is a partnership. We all know what must be done."

Several states have laws requiring motorists to slow down and vacate the lane closest to the first responder, police officer or tow truck. The effort also is important to the Towing and Recovery Association of America. Every year, several operators are struck as they perform their jobs, said Mike Scott, chairman of the group's education foundation.

"We join with other traffic incident responders in asking that you slow down," he said. Likewise, AAA also is committed to the effort.

Yolanda Clark said it will take a cooperative and coordinated effort to keep the highways safe. While NUG is not mandatory, the coalition hopes it will open lines of communication between agencies that deal with incidents on the highways. "(It) will encourage state and local transportation and public safety agencies to adopt unified, multi-disciplinary policies, procedures and practices that will dramatically improve the way traffic incidents are managed on U.S. roadways," the document reads.

Light said incidents run smoother and safer when the people responsible have a strong relationship.

Sample Procedures

TERMINOLOGY (see diagram A)

HIGHWAY OPERATIONS