lindsey/patrick emergency vehicle operations © 2007 by pearson education, inc. upper saddle river,...

Lindsey/Patrick Emergency Vehicle Operations© 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Chapter 9 Roadway Operations


Objectives

Explain the concept of roadway safety.

List the core components of roadway/highway operations.

Identify the ten best practices to ensure roadway safety.


Case Study

Review and discuss the case study.


Terms

Advance warning

Block

Buffer zone

Downstream

Flagger

Shadow

Taper

Temporary work zone

Transition zone

Upstream


Introduction


The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices or MUTCD

Addresses virtually every component of highway safety.

Published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 655, Subpart F.


Traffic Control Devices

Fulfill a need

Command attention

Convey a clear, simple meaning

Command respect from road users

Give adequate time for proper response


The Challenge


Safety


Tactical Procedures

Never trust approaching traffic.

Avoid turning your back to approaching traffic.

Establish an initial “block” with the first arriving emergency vehicle or fire apparatus.


Tactical Procedures

Always wear Class III high visibility reflective vests during daylight operations.

Always wear a structural firefighting helmet.

Wear full protective clothing plus the highway safety vest at all vehicle-related emergencies.


Tactical Procedures

Turn off all sources of vision impairment

Use fire apparatus and police vehicles to initially redirect the flow of moving traffic

Establish advance warning and adequate transition area


Tactical Procedures

Use traffic cones and/or cones illuminated by flares

Establish a fire department member assigned to the “Flagger” function


Benchmarks for Safe Parking

Always position first-arriving apparatus to protect the scene, patients, and emergency personnel.

– Initial apparatus placement – Angle apparatus on the roadway– Allow apparatus placement to slow approaching

motorists– Use fire apparatus to block at least one additional

traffic lane– When practical, position apparatus in such a

manner to protect the pump operator



Positioning of large apparatus must create a safe parking area.

Establish a sufficient size work zone.

Ambulance should be positioned within the protected work area.



Command shall stage unneeded emergency vehicles off the roadway or return these units to service whenever possible.

At all intersections, or where the incident may be near the middle lane of the roadway, two or more sides of the incident will need to be protected.



Traffic cones shall be deployed from the rear of the blocking apparatus Personnel shall place cones and flares and retrieve cones while facing oncoming traffic.



Traffic cones shall be deployed at 15 feet intervals upstream of the blocking apparatus with the furthest traffic cone approximately 75 feet upstream to allow adequate advance warning to drivers. Additional traffic cones, when available, can be retrieved from police units to extend the advance warning area for approaching motorists.


Command and Control

Assure that the first-arriving apparatus establishes an initial block to create an initial safe work area.

Assign a parking location for all ambulances as well as later-arriving apparatus.


Command and Control

Assure that all ambulances on-scene are placed within the protected work area (shadow) of the larger apparatus. Assure that all patient loading into EMS Units is done from within a protected work zone. The initial company officer and/or Incident Commander must operate as the Scene Safety Officer until this assignment is delegated.


Command and Control

Command shall assure that Opticom strobe systems are turned OFF and that other emergency lighting remains ON. At residential medical emergencies, Command shall direct ambulances to park at the nearest curb to the residence for safe patient loading whenever possible.


Personnel Functions

Always maintain an acute awareness of the high risk of working in or near moving traffic.

Never trust moving traffic.

Always look before you move!

Always keep an eye on the moving traffic!

Avoid turning your back to moving traffic.


Personnel Functions

Personnel arriving in crew cabs of fire apparatus should exit and enter the apparatus from the protected ‘shadow’ side, away from moving traffic.

Officers, vehicle and apparatus operators, crew members in apparatus with individual jump seat configurations and all ambulance personnel must exit and enter their units with extreme caution remaining alert to moving traffic at all times.


Personnel Functions

Protective clothing, Class III safety vest, and helmet must be donned prior to exiting the emergency vehicle.


Personnel Functions

Always look before opening doors and stepping out of apparatus or emergency vehicle into any moving traffic areas.

When walking around fire apparatus or emergency vehicle, be alert to the individual proximity to moving traffic.


Personnel Functions

Police department personnel may place traffic cones or flares at the scene to direct traffic.

Place flares, where safe to do so.


Limited-Access Highway Operations


Unique Safe Parking Procedures

First-arriving vehicle or apparatus shall establish an initial block of the lane(s) occupied by the damaged vehicle plus one additional traffic lane. In some departments, a ladder truck apparatus is automatically dispatched to all vehicle-related incidents on all limited-access, high-volume expressways, tollways, and highways within the city.



Police department vehicles can be used to provide additional blocking of additional traffic lanes as needed.

Staging of additional companies off the highway may be required.



Command should establish a liaison with the Police department.The termination of the incident must be managed with the same aggressiveness as initial actions.


Ten Cones of Highway Incident Safety

There Is No Substitute for TrainingMultiagency Coordination and Communications Are a Must—A Unified Incident Command Is EssentialLimit Your Exposure…Limit Your TimeGive Traffic Plenty of WarningProtect the Scene with Apparatus

(Continued)

Source – VFIS 2004


Ten Cones of Highway Incident Safety

Always Work Away From the TrafficBe Prepared to Shut Down the RoadwayBe Seen and Not HurtDress for the OccasionAccountability Matters

Source – VFIS 2004


Officer’s Safe Parking “Cue Card”

Block at least one additional lane

Block so pump panel is “downstream”

Block most critical or highest traffic volume direction first

Consider requesting additional Police department assistance


Crews Wear Proper PPE with Helmet

Class III vests at all times

Helmet at all times

Full PPE plus Class III vest between dusk and dawn or inclement weather


Establish More Than Adequate Advance Warning

Traffic cones at 15 feet intervals.

Deploy minimum 5 cones upstream.

Cones only “Suggest” they don’t Block!

Expand initial safe work zone.


Direct Placement of Ambulances

Assure ambulances park within shadow of larger apparatus as directed.

Lane 1 is farthest right lane, next is Lane 2, then Lane 3, etc., from approaching motorist’s point of view.


Direct Placement of Ambulances

Direct ambulance to “block to the right” or “block to the left” to protect loading doors.

All patient loading into Med Units is done from within a protected work zone.


You Are the Scene Safety Officer

Consider assigning a responder as an upstream “Spotter” as necessary for approaching traffic


Night or Reduced Light Conditions

Turn OFF vehicle headlights

Turn OFF Opticom

Provide overall scene lighting

All personnel in PPE w/helmets

Illuminate cones with flares

Consider additional vehicle(s) for additional upstream “Block”


Limited-Access, High-Volume Highway Incidents

Establish initial block: minimum two lanes

Ladder truck establishes upstream block

Place cones and/or cones illuminated by flares upstream of ladder truck apparatus


Limited-Access, High-Volume Highway Incidents

Establish Flagger position

Driver operator of ladder truck apparatus

Use police department vehicles for additional blocking

Stage additional companies off highway

Establish liaison with Police department

Terminate incident aggressively


The Georgia Move-Over-Law

Review the law.


Case Study

Review and discuss the case study.


Apparatus Placement


Scene Lighting and Marking


Reflective Vests


Standard Operating Procedures


Effect on Highway Operations


Limitations


Recommendations for Safe Operations

During roadway/highway operations, position the vehicle at a 45-degree angle to the lanes.– Fire engines– Rescue vehicles – Ambulances



Turn off forward-facing emergency vehicle lighting, especially on divided roadways.

Reduce the use of lighting as much as possible at the scene.

Require crew members to wear highly reflective material when conducting roadway/highway operations.



Remain vigilant during all phases of roadway/highway operations. Work with neighboring ESOs to develop similar roadway/highway operation policies. Allow all members to submit suggestions for policy enhancements.


Policies

Assign a key member of the management team responsibility and authority to set and enforce comprehensive driver safety policy. Enforce mandatory seat belt use. Do not require workers to drive irregular hours or far beyond their normal working hours.


Policies

Do not require workers to conduct business on a cell phone while driving. Develop work schedules that allow employees to obey speed limits and to follow applicable hours-of-service regulations.


Fleet Management

Adopt a structured vehicle maintenance program.

Provide company vehicles that offer the highest possible levels of occupant protection.


Safety Programs

Teach workers strategies for recognizing and managing driver fatigue and in-vehicle distractions.

Provide training to workers operating specialized motor vehicles or equipment.

Emphasize to workers the need to follow safe driving practices on and off the job.


Driver Performance

Ensure that workers assigned to drive on the job have a valid driver’s license and one that is appropriate for the type of vehicle to be driven. Check driving records of prospective employees, and perform periodic rechecks after hiring. Maintain complete and accurate records of workers’ driving performance.


Crash Prevention and Vehicle Safety Programs

Vehicle placement at emergency scene:– Placement on street and highways– Positioning so as to minimize the blinding

effect of warning lights– Identify potential hazards at scene– Identify safe distances from certain scenes– Consideration for ease of leaving the scene

Prevention Strategies for Employers (NIOSH DHHS Publication No. 2004-136 (2004, March)).


Vehicle Placement

At emergencies located on streets and highways.

At incidents so as to minimize the blinding effect of the warning lights on approaching and passing vehicles.

Identification of potential hazards affecting placement of vehicles at emergency scenes.


Vehicle Placement

Identify appropriate safe distances from certain types of emergencies.

Consideration for the ease of leaving the scene.


Personnel Awareness

NIOSH recommends: Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding emergency operations for roadway incidents. Implement an incident management system to manage all emergency incidents. Establish a unified command for incidents that occur where multiple agencies have jurisdiction. Ensure that a separate incident safety officer is appointed.


Personnel Awareness

Develop preincident plans for areas that have a high rate of motor vehicle crashes.

Establish preincident agreements with law enforcement and other agencies.


Personnel Awareness

Ensure firefighters are trained in safe procedures for operating in or near moving traffic.

Ensure that firefighters wear suitable high-visibility apparel, such as a strong yellow-green or orange reflecting flagger vest when operating at an emergency scene.


Personnel AwarenessFirefighters:

Ensure that the fire apparatus is positioned to take advantage of topography and weather conditions and to protection from traffic. Park or stage unneeded vehicles off the roadway. Control the oncoming vehicles before safely turning your attention to the emergency. Position yourself and any victim(s) in a secure area.Use a traffic control device that maximizes your visibility.


Vehicle Markings


Remain Vigilant


Sample SOP/SOGs


NIOSH Recommendations/DiscussionsReview recommendations.


Summary

Highway operations pose special risks to personnel performing fire, rescue, and EMS functions.

Preventing injury to responders must be at the forefront during any emergency situation.

Basic responder awareness during response and on-scene can dramatically reduce the potential of a secondary incident.

Strategically positioning vehicles, wearing personal protective and reflective apparel, and placing appropriate signage/coneage, and reducing exposure time can enhance scene safety for all responders.

lindsey/patrick emergency vehicle operations © 2007 by pearson education, inc. upper saddle river,...

Documents