Responding to Emergencies on Active Roadways

If you’re first responder in any way, i.e., fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement, safety ranger or recovery/tow operator, there’s every chance that you are aware of what has been happening on our active roadways. We respond to the scene of an emergency and while on-scene, a distracted driver comes barreling through your safety zone, striking your vehicle or, Heaven forbid, the people working there! Since the beginning of 2019, 71 first responders have been killed and dozens more injured. With the refinements in soundproofing our vehicles so that sirens and air-horns can be barely heard, and with drivers’ eyes on fixated on their phones, perhaps we must consider ourselves, “lucky” that only 71 have been lost.

To address this very troubling issue, I brought together a top panel of personnel who are all too aware of what is occurring on our roadways, to get their thoughts and ideas on this matter. Joining me are Chief Billy Goldfeder, Chief Victor Conley, Chief Tony Correia, Chief Brian Stoller and Mr. Steve Austin, co-founder of the website, ResponderSafety.com. These five individuals all have extensive experience with this growing problem and are playing important roles in both examining the matter and working on solutions along various fronts.

It is our hope that not only you will listen to this podcast, but that you will share it with your fellow firefighters, officers and chiefs. Too many first responder agencies are familiar with this problem. And, just like this episode there a numerous ideas towards its solution. We hope this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” will be one that will serve as a catalyst to seeing local, municipal, county and state agencies come together to keep all our first responders safe and allow each one to return homes safely to their loved ones.

Please share with us what your departments are doing to face and mitigate this problem, by sending us an email to [email protected] and we’ll post your ideas on our website, in our effort to help all of you.