Emergency Responders
Information Center
Just like work zone workers, emergency responders – firefighters, law enforcement, paramedics, towing personnel and other associated workers – put their lives on the line everyday to help make our communities and our roadways safer. The purpose of section is to provide resources, information and helpful links to emergency responders to help them to access the lifesaving information, products and services they need to do their jobs safely.
FHWA finalizes roadside vest firefighting exemption

An interim rule exempting firefighters from having to wear high-visibility vests while engaged in direct firefighting operations on highways has been made permanent.  For the complete story go to www.firerescue1.com.
 

Laws, Rules and Regulations Governing the Management of Traffic Incidents

 
A traffic incident is an emergency road user occurrence, a natural disaster, or other unplanned event that affects or impedes the normal flow of traffic.

A traffic incident management area is an area of a highway where temporary traffic controls are imposed by authorized officials in response to a road user incident, natural disaster, hazardous material spill, or other unplanned incident. Below are links to information relating to these laws, rules and regulations.
  1. Chapter 61 MUTCD
  2. Move Over Law
    a. Move Over Law Chart
    c. State Move Over Law Fact Sheet
    d. Move Over Map
Resources for Emergency Responders
  1. Worker Visibility
    a. 634 - Fire Revision (from Federal Register)
    b. Vest information - nfpa (from Responder Knowledge Base)
    c. Safety Vest Requirement Presentation
    d. High Visibility Apparel Poster
    e. International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)
  2. Information and resources from the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition (ntimc)
    a. National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management
    b. Traffic Incident Facts
    c. Example Strategies for Building Stronger State Traffic Incident Management Programs
    d. Safe, Quick Clearance
    e. Responder Safety 
  3. ATSSA Resources
    a. Training - Emergency Traffic Control for Emergency Responders Training
  4. Information from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
    a. Section 8.7 - Traffic Incidents
    b. Annex H - Informational References
The Emergency Traffic Control for First Responders Field Guide presents basic principles for the implementation of emergency traffic control(ETC) procedures by first responders. Click here to order this handy pocket guide.
Helpful Links
Emergency Traffic Control Management - State/Local Initiatives and Information
Below are links to documents and websites from state-level Emergecy Traffic Control efforts.

Indiana:

 InTime - Indiana's Traffic Incident Management Effort

 Wisconsin:
  1. Wisconsin Department of Transportation - "Emergency Traffic Control and Scene Management Guidelines" (October 1, 2008)
  2. Incident Review - Firefighter Struck-by Accident Interstate 39 - Final Report (January 28, 2009) - prepared by the Portage County Sheriff's Department.

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The American Traffic Safety Services Association
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