1. OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR ROADWAY INCIDENTS
FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENTS OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
FIREFIGHTING AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL
OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR ROADWAY INCIDENTS
THIRD EDITION
Revised: October 2012

2. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents was developed through a cooperative effort of the following Northern Virginia fire Departments:
City of Alexandria
Loudon County
Arlington County
City of Manassas
City of Fairfax
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Fairfax County
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA)
Fauquier County
Fort Belvoir
Prince William County
Fort Meyer
Stafford County
Thanks goes to Steve Weissman, Stafford County (content editing, third edition)
AAW Publication Services: Andrea A. Walter (editing and layout, second and third editions)
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

3. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Key Changes in Third Edition:
Incorporates the standards and guidelines to ensure compliance with Virginia Work Area Protection Manual (VA DOT, 2011) and other laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia & the Federal Government.
Name change from Operating Procedures for Highway Incidents to Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

4. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Introduction:
Each year many incidents occur on roadways within the Washington-Metropolitan area. Whether it is on an interstate highway or secondary road, the potential for injury or death is ever present. Care of injured, protection of public an environment, safety of responders, clearance of traffic lanes should all be a priority of the IC.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

5. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Primary objectives for any operations at a roadway incident:
Establish a safe operating area to prevent injuries.
Provide emergency care and transport of sick or injured.
Establish water supply.
Protect the environment.
Restore normal traffic flow.
Keep as many traffic lanes open as possible.
Use the ICS/Unified Command System to manage resources.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

6. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Key Definitions:
Advance Warning- notification procedures that advise motorists to transition from normal driving status to one required by the temporary emergency traffic control measures.
Block- positioning apparatus on an angle to the lanes of traffic creating a physical barrier upstream traffic and work area
Buffer Space- the distance or space between personnel and vehicles in the protected work area and nearby moving traffic
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

7. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Key definitions continued:
Downstream- the direction that traffic is moving as it travels away form the scene.
Work Area- protected work area at a vehicle related roadway incident that is shielded by the blocking apparatus and other emergency vehicles. Also referred to as Incident Space.
Taper- action of merging several lanes of moving traffic into fewer moving lanes.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

8. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Key definitions continued:
Transition Zone- lanes of a roadway that approaching motorists change their speed and position to comply with the traffic control measures established at an incident scene.
Upstream- direction from which traffic is traveling as vehicles approach the incident scene.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

9. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Typical Work Area
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

10. INCIDENT RESPONSE AND UNIFIED COMMAND
Team effort:
Law enforcement
VDOT
Fire & Rescue Departments
Private stakeholders
EMS
FIRE
LEO
VDOT
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

11. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
SINGLE COMMAND
UNIFIED COMMAND
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

12. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
Responder Personal Safety:
All emergency responders within the right-of-way, who are either exposed to traffic or emergency vehicles and equipment within the incident scene, shall wear high-visibility safety apparel that meets the requirements of the ANSI/ISEA publication entitled “American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear.”
Responders engaged in operations directly exposing them to flame, fire, heat, and/or hazardous materials shall wear retro-reflective turnout gear that is specified and regulated by NFPA. Once the incident is mitigated, personnel shall don appropriate high-visibility apparel in lieu of turnout gear.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

13. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
Responder Personal Safety:
Face traffic and remain alert at all times.
LCES can aid the IC, spotter, or Safety Officer
L- Lookouts
C- Communications
E- Escape Routes
S- Safety Zones
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

14. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
Response:
Emergency response to incidents on limited highways includes at least one unit traveling in each direction.
Units shall reduce speed when using shoulder, use extreme caution and be aware of:
Road signs
Debris
Guard rails
Oversized vehicles and stopped vehicles
Standing water
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

15. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
Response:
Units responding in same direction should remain single file.
Crossovers marked “Authorized Vehicles Only” shall only be used without obstructing flow of traffic in either direction, or when all traffic has stopped.
Use of U-turn access points in “Jersey” barriers is extremely hazardous and shall be used for immediate lifesaving measures only.
Crews should not cross over lanes of traffic on foot unless roadway is completely shut down.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

16. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Proper positioning of apparatus at the scene assures other resources easy access.
Officer shall advise communications of proper location upon arrival to scene
Assist with identifying the location in a clear manner
Lanes shall be identified as:
Inside Travel Lane
Middle Travel Lane
Outside Travel Lane
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

17. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
LANE DESIGNATIONS
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

18. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Work area that allows specialized resources optimal positioning must be established.
First arriving engine should position PRIOR to incident to provide a block
Parked at an angle with pump panel toward the work area to protect the operator.
Front wheels rotated away from incident scene.
Intersections:
Block all exposed sides.
Prioritize blocking from most critical to least critical.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

19. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

20. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Specialized Resource Positioning
Rescue or Extrication company's
In front of first arriving engine within the shielded area.
Most advantageous tactical position for extrication function.
EMS units
Past the incident within the shielded area.
Parked in manner that will allow egress
Not in the way of tactical operations
Close enough for patient loading
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

21. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Specialized Resource Positioning
Command and staff vehicles
Past the incident, not to interfere with tactical ops.
Within shielded space to facilitate IC functions.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

22. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

23. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Units arriving prior to first-due engine company
Take position normally taken by 1st arriving engine.
Park at angle with wheels turned away from scene.
First arriving engine will take blocking position behind first unit upon arrival.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

24. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Firefighting Operations on Roadways
Caution shall be exercised to avoid walking into oncoming traffic due to limited visibility.
If taking primary blocking position behind the fire will expose the apparatus to fire extension, the engine may position beyond the fire; the second and third, if necessary, shall always be placed between oncoming traffic and the incident and responders engaged in operations.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

25. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Positioning on EMS Incidents
EMS units shall have the priority position to the front of the incident address.
If EMS is operating
without a suppression
unit, they shall position
off the road (driveway),
or place cones to
facilitate the flow of traffic
around the scene.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

26. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Positioning on EMS Incidents
Suppression units shall position to provide a shield for the EMS unit.
Driver should take the time to place cones and facilitate the flow of traffic around scene.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

27. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Incident Space Safety
Prior to exiting apparatus
Check to ensure the traffic has been stopped in the travel lanes in which that apparatus is positioned to avoid being struck.
Communicate to all members that traffic has stopped and it is ok to exit.
Look down and in all directions to ensure there are no obstacles that could result in injury.
As soon as possible the operator should place cones or flares as appropriate.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

28. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Incident Space Safety, continued
Once a Buffer Space of 80 feet has been est. cones or flares shall be deployed.
“Taper” length should begin diagonally across roadway beginning at the Buffer Space and working downstream toward traffic for at least 40 feet.
Each lane marker is 10 feet and there is 30 feet between markers
Roadways with speeds higher than 55 mph should have longer Taper and Buffer Spaces.
Always Face on coming traffic when placing cones/flares.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

29. APPARATUS POSITIONING
Parking of Other Response Vehicles
Except for apparatus that are needed in the tactical operations or those used as a physical barrier, all other vehicles should be parked together in a designated area.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

30. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
VISIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS ON ROADWAY INCIDENTS
Issue becomes more significant with nightfall.
Human eye becomes adapted to dark, first color to leave the spectrum is red.
Light to dark vision recovery takes at least 6 seconds.
Dark to light vision recovery takes at least 3 seconds.
A vehicle travels approximately 75 feet/second at 50 mph.
In 6 seconds a vehicle has traveled 450 feet the driver has fully regained night vision.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

31. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
VISIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS ON ROADWAY INCIDENTS
Drivers shall turn off vehicle headlights when parked at incidents if not needed to illuminate the scene.
2 ½ car lengths away from a vehicle with its headlights on, the opposing driver is completely blinded.
Drivers of oncoming vehicles will experience the problem of glare recovery.
Means that drivers are passing by an incident scene blind.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

32. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
VISIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS ON ROADWAY INCIDENTS
The best combination of lights to provide maximum night visibility is:
Red warning lights on,
Headlights off,
Fog lights off,
Pump panel lights on,
Spot lights on rear and front on and directed on to a traffic cone,
Traffic directional boards operating.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

33. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
CLEARING TRAFFIC LANES
Virginias Incident Clearance Law aka “Move It” Law, requires motorists involved in crashes where the vehicles can be driven and no on is injured to move the vehicles to a location where they will obstruct traffic as little as possible.
When possible, EMS units should move from the roadway as soon as practical.
It is critical when operational phases are completed that the apparatus be repositioned to allow traffic to flow.
One minute of stopped traffic causes an additional four-minute delay in travel.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

34. TRAFFIC INCIDENT LEVELS Traffic Incident Levels
Officers should consider the magnitude of the incident and should consider declaring the most appropriate Traffic Incident Level when the operation will seriously impact traffic flow.
Traffic Incident Levels
Level 1
Minor
Impact to the traveled roadway is estimated to be less than 30 minutes with no lane blockage or with minor lane blockage.
Level 2
Intermediate
Impact to the traveled roadway is estimated to be between 30 minutes and 2 hours with lane blockages, but not full closure of the roadway.
Level 3
Major
Impact to the traveled roadway is estimated to be more than 2 hours, OR the roadway is closed in any single direction; significant area-wide congestion is expected.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

35. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
QUICK SAFETY TIPS AT ROADWAY EMERGENCIES
Wear appropriate PPE.
Do not trust moving traffic.
Never take a partial lane.
Never assume traffic will behave the way you expect.
Proper apparatus positioning is the first step to providing safety of the working crews.
Many motorists and truck drivers have no regard or respect for emergency vehicles or personnel on the scene.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition

36. Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
QUICK SAFETY TIPS AT ROADWAY EMERGENCIES
Never allow traffic to come around both sides on an incident.
Request police to assist ASAP
Summon Additional resources as necessary, forecast additional needs soon
Ensure scene is controlled before commencing operations.
Start operations at roadway incidents defensively.
Do not allow personnel to “wander” around the scene.
Revised: October 2012
Operating Procedures for Roadway Incidents
3rd Edition