Highway Safety for the Emergency Responder-Rick Patrick

Emergency service organizations (ESOs) respond to a wide variety of incidents involving operations on or near a highway (roadway) which pose special risks to personnel performing fire, rescue and EMS functions. Every year a significant number of emergency service personnel are killed or injured while operating on our highways. There may be a wide variety of reasons for these losses, but they should never happen! In many instances, an ESO responds to a “primary incident” on a highway, only to become the victim of a “secondary incident.” This session will address the specific areas that responders face and provide immediate solutions to the problem.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the "Ten Cones of Highway Safety."

2. Understand the elements of a safe work zone.

3. Recognize the potential/existing hazards while operation on or near a highway.

References:

www.vfis.com, Retrieved January 5, 2019

www.fema.usfa.gov, Retrieved January 5, 2019