Safe Incident Management Work Zones

SPO C. R. MooreAtlanta Police DepartmentSpecial Operations SectionHit & Run / Traffic Fatality

Unit404.765.2808 x121

crmoore@atlantaga.gov

Average Number of First Responder Fatalities

annually while working Traffic

incidentsFire and EMS: 6 to 8

annuallyPolice: 10 to 12 annually

Tow &Recovery: 50 annually

Definition : Incident Management Work Zone

Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

Section 61.01

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…

It is a type of temporary traffic control zone and extends from the first warning devise to the last temporary traffic control device…

…or to a point where vehicles return to the original lane alignment and clear of the incident.

Three General Classes of Duration

A.Major – expected duration of more than two hours

B.Intermediate – expected duration of 30 minutes to 2 hours

C.Minor – expected duration under thirty minutes

Primary Functions of Incident Management Work

Zones1.Move the motorist

safely and expeditiously past or around the incident.

2.Reduce the likelihood of secondary traffic crashes

3.Preclude unnecessary use of the surrounding road system.

Five areas of the Incident Management Work Zones

1. Advance Warning Area – This allows for a safe reduction of speed for vehicles approaching the incident.

Five areas of the Incident Management Work Zones

35 mph – 100’45 mph – 150’55 mph – 200’65 mph – 250’

1. Advance Warning Area

2. Transition Area - to funnel vehicles from multiple lanes into a flowing reduced lane.

Five areas of the Incident Management Work Zones

3. Lateral Buffer Zone – creates an extra margin of safety. Incident Lane + 1

Five areas of the Incident Management Work Zones

4. Work Area – This is the safe zone for citizens involved in the incident as well as first responders.

Five areas of the Incident Management Work Zones

5. Termination Area – releases traffic back to its normal flow.

Five areas of the Incident Management Work Zones

Safe Positioning of Vehicles

1.30 degrees with the front of the vehicle facing away from the traffic

2.Wheels should be turned towards the road edge so if the vehicle is struck it will not roll out into traffic

To position an apparatus or vehicle at an angle to halt the flow of moving traffic in one or more lanes.

Blocking

This covers the 4th stage (Work Area) of the Incident Management Work Zone. All work on the incident will take place within the shadow.

Shadow

EXAMPLE : QUICK CLEARANCEUSING INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

WORK ZONES

A Multiple Vehicle Freeway Collision with Commercial

Vehicle & BusAll Lanes Blocked

School Bus

Tractor – trailer

6 Vehicle Incident – All Lanes Blocked

Passenger Cars

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Police Units Arrive: Establish Incident Command & Temporarily block all lanes until a

Incident Management Work Zone can be established.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

HERO arrives and Establishes Incident Management Work Zone on both sides of

the Incident

Police Units: Re-deployed inside Incident

Management Work Zone

Re-open 1 Lane: HERO & Police to direct traffic through scene

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

EMS Arrives. Parks inside “Shadow” and close to Injured.

Shadow

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

HERO Re-deployed inside Incident Management Work Zone

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

2 Battalion6 Engines2 Ladder Trucks

Fire Apparatus arrive. Incident Command transferred to Fire.

Tow Service Arrives. Parks inside Incident Management Work Zone.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Bus arrives to transport occupants of Damaged Bus off Scene.

Parks inside Incident Management Work

Zone

EMS Transports injured to Hospital

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Paramedic Engines, Ladder

Trucks, and 1 Battalion go back in service

Occupants of Bus transported off Scene

First 2 Vehicle Towed from Scene.

Priority – Vehicle blocking far right lane & Tractor trailer.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Break down Incident Management Work Zone on Right side of roadway. Shrink size of existing Incident Management Work Zone on

left side of roadway.

Open 3 lanes using Emergency lane for travel

Re-Deploy Police & HERO to Incident Management Work Zone on Left Side of Roadway. Police Unit deployed on right side go back in service

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Remaining Fire Units go back in service. Incident Command transferred to Police.

Tow Service Arrives. Parks inside Incident Management Work Zone.

Example : Quick Clearance Using Incident Management Work Zones

The Bus and 2 more Vehicles Removed from the Scene.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Shrink size of existing Incident Management Work Zone.

Open 4 lanes. Stop using Emergency lane for travel

One Hero Unit and all Police Unit except 1 go back in service.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Final Tow Truck arrives.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Final Vehicle Towed from Scene.

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

Breaking Down the Incident Management Work Zone. First remove cones.

Vehicles then clear scene – 1, 2, 3

123

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

All Lanes Open

Example : Quick ClearanceUsing Incident Management Work Zones

SPO C. R. MooreAtlanta Police DepartmentSpecial Operations Section

Hit & Run / Traffic Fatality Unit404.765.2808 x121

crmoore@atlantaga.gov