Highway Incident Safety for Emergency Responders

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Highway Incident Safetyfor Emergency Responders

• jack_at_lionvillefire.org

Jack Sullivan, CSP, CFPSLt. Safety Officer
(ret.)Lionville Fire Co., Lionville, PA
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March 9, 1998
It Was Just A Routine Call
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Lionville Fire Company

• Volunteer station
• 90 members, 35 firefighters
• Suburban, commercial, industrial and residential
  area, with 10 miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
• 3 Engines, Tanker, Rescue, Brush Truck Safety
  House
• 525 runs per year
• Uwchlan Ambulance, gt2000 runs/yr.2 career
  personnel 60 volunteers

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Incident Overview

• March 9, 1998 - Raining with wet roadways
• Initial alarm was at 1410 for a car in a ditch,
  on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, just west of the
  Downingtown Interchange, Milepost 310.9
• Uwchlan Ambulance and Lionville Fire / Rescue
  responded with an Ambulance, Engine, Rescue, the
  Chief an Assistant Chief.

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Original Incident

• Pontiac Grand Am, westbound on the Turnpike,
  lost control and slid into the drainage ditch.

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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Scene Diagram
Pa. Turnpike West Bound
Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
Shoulder
Grass
Ditch
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Aftermath of the Crash

• 8 firefighters and 2 EMTs involved in the crash
• One fatality, 9 serious injuries
• Original injured patient and two good Samaritans
• Heavy radio traffic due to weather related calls
• Mass confusion at the scene immediately after
• Many assist companies self -dispatched
• Weather grounded Medivac right after crash

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Aftermath of the Crash

• Assistant Chief was disabled for several months
• Eventually resigned from the FD
• FF Mike Cox has undergone numerous surgeries to
  repair his injured legs, and had ongoing PT
• Ongoing meetings and negotiation with the PA
  Turnpike Commission to improve response
  procedures
• Change in Lionvilles response procedure to Trpk
  

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• 1-12-98 Centerville, Ohio - FF PD Officer
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• 3-09-98 Lionville, PA - 8 FFs 2 EMTs
  Struck, 1 Fatal Struck and one killed at minor
  accident on Pa. Turnpike

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Injured Struck dragged 20 yards, at
accident scene (video) 6-26-98 Laurel, PA -
Fire Police Lt. Struck Killed Directing
traffic at scene of vehicle accident 8-01-98
Streetman, TX - Firefighter Struck Killed
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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 12-19-99 Broward County, FL. - Fire Dept
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  Struck SUV traveling at high rate of speed,
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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 3-7-2000 Norfolk, VA - Near miss ! - 1
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• 4-22-2000 St. Louis , MO - 2 Medics 1 PD
  Officer Injured Car struck police cruiser along
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  previous accident scene.
• 4-27-2000 Atlanta, Georgia - 3 Firefighters
  Struck Injured Firefighters working a car fire
  on I-20, when a car struck the engine, which
  then struck 3 firefighters (minor injuries).

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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 4-26-2000 Fairfax County, VA - Fire Truck
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  on the Capital Beltway at 0030, was struck by
  an auto ( _at_ 60 mph ) operated by an impaired
  driver. Safe zone established . Fire engine
  destroyed.
• 5-11-2000 Fairfax County, VA (Again ! ) - Fire
  Truck Struck Engine struck by car driven by
  impaired driver on I-95, No injuries to
  firefighters, safe zone established. Fire engine
  destroyed.
• 5-10-2000 Jones County, KS - Fire Truck Struck
  Auto, driven by impaired driver (.25 BAL)
  struck Quint which was operating at a car fire.
  The quint was on the side of road, had out
  cones, and there was a police cruiser 100 yd.
  back. 1 firefighter brushed by the car as it
  went by.

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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 5-26-2000 Chicago, IL - Firefighter Struck and
  Injured Firefighter was running a hose across
  the street at the scene of a garage fire, when
  he was struck by a hit and run driver.
  Firefighter was in hospital in stable condition.
  
• 7-13-2000 Friendswood, TX - FD Capt. Struck and
  Injured Captain was investigating smoke in an oil
  field, when he was run over by a suspicious
  vehicle he encountered at the site.
• 8 -20 -2000 San Ramon, CA - Fire Truck Struck
  Citizen killed when her car struck a fire truck
  on location of a previous MVA.

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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 8 -21-2000 Gary, IN - Firefighter Struck
  Injured Firefighter was assisting an engine
  backing into station, when he was struck by an
  auto and injured.
• 9 -01-2000 Angeles National Forest, CA - Fire
  Truck Struck One citizen killed and one injured
  when their motorcycles struck a slow moving fire
  truck working a wildfire.
• 9 -04 -2000 Yuma, AZ - Firefighter Struck and
  Killed Struck by ARFF apparatus while on
  training drill.
• 9 -04 -2000 Ludlow, MA - Firefighter Struck and
  Injured Hooking to a hydrant at a structure
  fire.

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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 9-04-2000 Ludlow, MA - Firefighter Struck and
  Injured Hooking to a hydrant at a structure
  fire.
• 9-17-2000 Maryland Heights, MD - FF Struck and
  Killed Struck while crossing an interstate at
  scene of an MVA.
• 10-24-2000 Clearfield Co., PA - Fire Truck
  Struck, 3 FF Injuries Parked rescue truck with 3
  firefighters inside, was struck on an
  interstate, by a tractor trailer driver who fell
  asleep.
• 11-02-00 Jonesboro, AR - Firefighter Struck and
  Killed Crossing road at scene of a disabled
  fire truck on a roadway.

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Similar Fire EMS Incidents

• 11-07-00 Tiffin, OH - EMT Struck and Killed
  Assisting a pedestrian along a highway.
• 12-23-00 Chicago, IL - Firefighter Struck and
  Killed Working an MVA on a highway.
• 01-10-01 Kendall, NY - Firefighter Struck
  Killed
• 01-17-01 Chicago, IL - Firefighter Struck
  Injured
• 01-18-01 Calumet City, IL - Fire Truck Struck,
  Civilian Injured

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Similar Police Dept. Incidents

• The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
  Fund, and the Concerns of Police Survivors
• 20 police officers died after being struck by
  vehicles outside of their cruisers in 2000

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Firefighters responding to calls,need to
operateas if someone is trying to run them
over James Joyce, CommissionerChicago Fire
Dept.January 2001
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Lessons to Reinforce

• Build awareness through more intense training
• Firefighter I or EMT - B classes
• Station or Company Orientation
• Annual In Service Training
• Bulletins, SOGs, Lessons from Losses
• Evaluate apparatus placement safety procedures
  during all drills and training sessions.

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Lessons to Reinforce

• Multi-agency coordination communication
• Fire, EMS mutual aid agencies
• Law Enforcement agencies
• DOT, wrecker services, HazMat contractors
• Preplan traffic control plans for major routes
• Table top drills with mutual aid agencies ?

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Lessons to Reinforce

• Limit the Exposure
• Minimum Apparatus Personnel
• Limit crews on scene to only those necessary
• Limit the time on scene
• Clear-up crews as soon as possible

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Lessons to Reinforce

• Need for advance warning to slow passing traffic
• Arrow Boards, Flares, Cones, Police Cars, DOT
  signage
• Variable Message Signs, News Media / Traffic
  Reports

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Lessons to Reinforce

• Apparatus Positioning and Arrangement
• Guard the scene, guard the crew
• Park apparatus at an angle
• Work on side away from traffic
• Pump Operators, Location of equipment on rigs
• Look ! Before disembarking apparatus
• Shut Down the Roadway
• Not Popular with Law Enforcement or the public
• May be Necessary ! - Plan for it in advance.

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Jersey Barrier
Fast Lane
Right Lane
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Lessons to Reinforce

• Scene Lighting
• Reduce emergency lights, Use Blocking mode,
  Sign Boards, Arrow Boards, Arrow sticks
• Increase use of amber lenses (more apt to
  slow traffic)
• Provide scene illumination after dark
• Presence of Police vehicles shown to slow traffic

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Lessons to Reinforce

• Require Retro-reflective or Florescent clothing /
  PPE
• Structural gear may not offer high visibility
• Safety Vests - Get them Use Them !
• ANSI 107-1999 High Visibility Safety Apparel
• Class I - Traffic lt 25 mph, separation from
  traffic
• Class II - Traffic gt 25 mph, inclement weather,
  directing traffic
• Class III - Traffic gt 50 mph, emergency
  responders
• Co. Officers monitor enforce their usage ?
• SO carry spares ?
• Vests on apparatus ? Assigned to each person ?

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Traffic Safety Vests
ANSI Class II
ANSI Class I
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Traffic Safety Vests
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Lessons to Reinforce

• Personal Protective Equipment
• Use of helmets and turnouts prevented more
  serious injuries at the Lionville incident.
• Design safety features into all new apparatus
• Use of better reflective markings on rear of
  apparatus
• Space for storage of traffic control equipment
• Design lighting to protect the incident scene

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Plano, Texas Fire Department Apparatus Markings
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Lessons to Reinforce

• Safety Officer assigned for scene safety
• Scene hazards and traffic control
• Accountability System in Place on ALL Incidents
• Ability to account for all personnel on scene
• Could you identify if any of your crew were
  under a vehicle that intruded on your scene ?

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NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigations

• NIOSH Report 99F-27 - August 5, 1999 Incident in
  Oklahoma - 2 Career firefighters were struck on
  an interstate one was killed, and one with
  serious injuries
• On the internet lt http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/face99
  27.html gt
• NIOSH Report 99F-38 - September 27, 1999 Incident
  in South Carolina - Volunteer dies after being
  struck by a tractor trailer truck.
• On the internet lt http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/face9
  938.html gt

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NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation
Recommendations

• Establish, implement and enforce, standard
  operating procedures (SOPs) regarding emergency
  operations for highway incidents.
• Position apparatus to take advantage of
  topography and weather conditions (uphill /
  upwind) protect firefighters from traffic.
• First control oncoming vehicles before addressing
  the emergency event, in the event the police have
  not arrived.
• Ensure that personnel position themselves and
  victims in a secure area, when its not possible
  to protect the incident scene.
• (DOT) - Use of variable message signs to inform
  motorists of hazardous conditions or vehicular
  accidents.

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NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation
Recommendations

• Ensure that personnel park or stage unneeded
  vehicles off the street / highway whenever
  possible.
• Ensure that personnel wear personal protective
  clothing that is suitable to that incident while
  operating at an emergency scene such as a highly
  reflectorized flagger vest ( strong yellow green
  and orange ).
• Ensure that personnel conducting traffic control
  measures use a highly visible stop / slow
  paddle.
• Establish pre-incident plans for areas that have
  a higher rate of automobile incidents.

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Take Action !
Awareness
Strategy Tactics
Training
SOPs
Equipment(New Existing)
Leadership