Interstate/Highway Safety

Speed limit 65 MPH, real speed of 70 MPH plus. What do you and your Department do for safety when responding and while on the side of the road?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on January 2, 2009 at 12:17am

This happens whenever the major route into Los Angeles is closed due to snow or some other reason. Our little two lane highway handles traffic normally handled by six-lane interstate freeways... Too many people Lutan...

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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on January 2, 2009 at 12:25am

But 101 is such a scenic route compared to 5

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on January 2, 2009 at 11:21pm

Sounds like you've been on the 101... How about the Rincon?

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on January 3, 2009 at 8:54am

Wait a minute Mike, what if the accident is in the center; as a note I wanted to say medium, but don’t think that is spelled right and spell check did not give me enough options….LOL

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on January 12, 2009 at 10:45am

Priority numero uno is your safety.
Then, you don't want to set up as to cause secondary MVAs, which should be considered when deciding not to shut down the road. You may have to shut it down in order to keep everyone safe.
Anyone assigned to traffic control should have a knowledge of controlling traffic. Always have SOMEONE with a RADIO watching traffic well in advance of the scene to give you ample warning if there is a problem.
If it is a major incident, have your Department of Transportation set it up just like a construction zone.
In Illinois, we are required to notify IDOT if a scene will take more than an hour to clear.
NOTHING we do should be for the convenience of the motoring public unless it can be done safely for US.
TCSS.
Art

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on January 12, 2009 at 12:46pm

I’m going to have to add a note to this Art; whoever you have directing traffic, needs a good working knowledge of anger management. ;)

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Permalink Reply by turk182 on January 12, 2009 at 1:18pm

We use our trucks to protect the immediate scene the we use a combination of cones and flares further out so it acts like a buffer and we have people in safety vest directing traffic around the incident.

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Permalink Reply by FETC on January 13, 2009 at 3:53pm

Ambulance, Rescue, and Engine Response.

The Engine is responsibile for blocking (if no fire) We take a lane plus 1 for all highway FD Operations. The advanced warning devices, the EMERGENCY WARNING FOLDING SIGN goes up. For 70 mph we use the 8' per mph rule, so the signage would be placed 560' before the blocking vehicle and we would use approximately 26 cones to make the temporary traffic control lane change from the sign to the incident scene. The Rescue would park much closer, probably 50' before the accident scene and position to block again, and our Ambulance would park downstream or after the accident scene behind the shadow of all the blocking apparatus and the cars involved. The accident involves both travel lanes then the highway is closed. Take 2 lanes plus 1 for safety.

Everyone would be wearing an ANSI Class II 107 approved High Visability Vest