By all reports and observations, “It was just a routine call." A
single car, westbound on the PA Turnpike spun out of control in
a driving rainstorm and ended up in a ditch on the side of the
road. 911 receives a report of an automobile accident with
possible entrapment and local emergency services personnel swing
into action. Eight firefighters and two emergency medical
technicians respond with emergency apparatus to render
assistance. A short time after arriving on the scene a
tractor-trailer rig goes out of control and crashes into the
original accident scene, striking 10 emergency responders,
killing one of them. Nine other fire and EMS personnel are
transported to local hospitals with various serious injuries.
Dozens of similar incidents occur each year. To date in 2008,
two EMS providers have been struck and killed by vehicles while
operating at motor vehicle accident scenes. Emergency responders
are frequently struck and injured, or killed, while operating at
incidents along the nation’s roadways. There are additional
examples of emergency apparatus being struck by vehicles while
operating at those emergency scenes.
This workshop will provide an overview of the safety hazards
present at roadway incidents and a series of "Best Practices"
designed to help save lives and prevent injuries to emergency
response personnel. Accidents involving emergency personnel
struck by vehicles while working emergency scenes on or near
roadways and recommendations on how to protect your personnel
and the scene are presented. The goal is to create awareness of
a growing safety issue and to encourage the development of
training and safe operating procedures to safeguard personnel
operating at accidents or other emergency incidents on or near
roads and highways.
Audience:
Fire/Rescue/EMS, Law Enforcement Officers, Public Works,
Emergency Vehicle Operators, Tow Truck Operators, Highway
Workers.
Instructor: Jack
Sullivan, CSP, CFPS, is the Director of Training for the
Emergency Responder Safety Institute. He retired as a lieutenant
and safety officer with Lionville (PA) Fire-Rescue. He has more
than 30 years experience with the fire service in three
different fire departments and is nationally recognized for his
work on roadway incident safety for emergency responders
Contact Your MIEMSS Regional
Office for More Information
