WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has joined organizations throughout the country to call for increased safety for emergency responders along the nation’s roadways.
Law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, towing and recovery, transportation and public works employees risk their lives while serving — and at times saving — the public.
Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW), which runs from Nov. 13-17, is a way “to bring public attention to the hardworking people who risk their own safety to save lives at a crash scene,” a news release stated.
This year’s theme is “Protect Those Who Protect You.”
“Crash responders are usually the first to arrive on scene and act quickly to save the lives of others while their own lives are at stake,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “We owe our nation’s first responders a huge debt of gratitude for the work they do — not only during Crash Responder Safety Week, but all 52 weeks of the year. On behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation, we are committed to improving safety for all road users and that includes responders who deserve to go home safely to their families as well.”
FHWA launched Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training in 2012 designed by and for responders to help teams of police, firefighters, highway workers and emergency medical services and towing personnel ensure safe and effective coordination at a crash scene.
In the training, responders learn a common set of effective practices, including quick clearance techniques that improve communications and reduce the amount of time needed to remain on scene.
To date, more than 700,000 responders have been trained with the TIM training program, representing all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The training goes together with TIM tools, technologies and policies to improve the safety of responders.
The free training also allows responders to step back from the job of helping others to make sure they know the best practices to protect themselves.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
