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What is the primary purpose of the Traffic Incident Management program for the New Lenox Fire Protection District?
Which area is designated to inform drivers of an upcoming traffic incident?
What is the correct term for the location where the actual incident is taking place?
How should responders position a fire apparatus to create a physical barrier for upstream traffic?
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What is the estimated expected duration for a Minor traffic incident?
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Which area involves both the incident space and the buffer space?
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What is the first action responders should take upon arriving at a traffic incident?
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In Traffic Incident Management terminology, what does TCZ stand for?
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What is the purpose of traffic control devices at traffic incidents?
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When should cones be deployed at the scene of a traffic incident?
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How should flaggers be equipped when managing traffic during an incident?
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What is the primary concern of responders at traffic incidents?
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What is the recommended action if flares are used at a traffic incident?
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What duration classifies a traffic incident as 'Intermediate'?
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What is recommended for on-scene responders regarding their visibility?
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What should be done at incidents expected to last longer than 30 minutes?
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What is the primary purpose of deploying traffic cones toward approaching traffic?
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When personnel are retrieving cones, what is the most important safety guideline to follow?
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What must be ensured when using channelizing devices like traffic cones?
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What should be the configuration of traffic cones on single lane roadways?
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How many traffic cones should start a proper taper on multi-lane roadways?
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What is a potential risk when setting up a taper in either direction of travel on single lane roadways?
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What communication method should be considered in traffic management on the fireground?
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What is an important characteristic that ballasted channelizing devices must have?
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Where should the first traffic cone be placed?
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How far should crew members walk to place the next cone?
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What equipment must be worn at traffic incidents on or near roadways?
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What is the minimum height requirement for safety cones?
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When should high-visibility safety vests be donned?
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Which of the following is NOT a recommended practice when placing traffic cones?
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What is the purpose of high-visibility vests at traffic incidents?
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What reflective feature must safety cones possess?
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When should safety cones be deployed at roadway incidents?
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What is the minimum size requirement for warning signs at high-speed highways?
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Under what conditions is a 48” x 48” warning sign required?
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How can flares enhance scene safety during nighttime operations?
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What is a key consideration when positioning lights at an incident scene at night?
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Why is it important to activate rear emergency vehicle lights at the beginning of the transition zone?
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What is the purpose of reducing the lighting of other vehicles within the Traffic Control Zone (TCZ)?
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What role do arrow sticks serve in traffic management during incidents?
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Study Notes
Traffic Incident Management
- Purpose: To create a Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program for the New Lenox Fire Protection District.
- Guidelines: The program covers the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), vehicle placement, establishing a temporary traffic control zone, personnel responsibilities, emergency vehicle lighting, proper use of PPE, and other items needed for the safety of emergency responders operating on roadway incidents.
Traffic Incident Management Area
- Advanced Warning Area: Informs drivers of the upcoming incident area.
- Transitional Area: Redirects drivers from their normal path using tapering channeling devices such as cones.
- Buffer Space: The area between the transitional space and the first blocking apparatus
- Incident Space: Where the actual incident is located.
- Activity Area: Includes the incident space, the buffer space, and the traffic space
- Termination Area: Where drivers return to their normal path of traffic.
- Blocking: Positioning a fire apparatus on an angle to the lanes of traffic creating a physical barrier between upstream traffic and the work zone.
- Downstream: The direction traffic is moving as it travels away from the incident
- Upstream: The direction traffic is traveling from as vehicles approach the incident scene.
- TCZ: Traffic Control Zone
- TTCZ: Temporary Traffic Control Zone
Traffic Incident Duration
- Major: Expected duration of more than 2 hours.
- Intermediate: Expected duration of 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Minor: Expected duration under 30 minutes.
Major Traffic Incidents (More Than 2 Hours)
- Typically involve hazardous materials, fatal traffic crashes, numerous vehicles, and/or other natural or man-made disasters.
- Roadways are often closed for a period exceeding 2 hours.
- Warning should be given to road users approaching the end of the traffic queue.
- Manual traffic control should be provided by qualified flaggers or uniformed law enforcement officers.
- When flares are used to initiate a TCZ, more permanent traffic control devices should replace them as soon as practical.
- Responders should be trained in safe practices for accomplishing tasks in and near traffic.
- Responders should always be aware of their visibility to oncoming traffic, and move the incident as far off the traveled roadway as possible or provide appropriate warning.
- Personnel must immediately wear approved MUTCD vests upon arriving on scene.
- Cones are deployed as soon as possible, but before 30 minutes, along with “Emergency Scene Ahead” warning signs for all scenes greater than 30 minutes.
Intermediate Traffic Incidents (30 Minutes to 2 Hours)
- Affect travel lanes for a period of 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Require traffic control to divert road users past the blockage.
- Full roadway closures might be needed for short periods during traffic incident clearance.
- Lane diversions are managed by interagency planning.
- Traffic cones are deployed from the rear of the blocking apparatus towards approaching traffic to increase advance warning.
- Personnel place and retrieve cones while facing oncoming traffic.
- Traffic cones should be strategically placed on any roadway where emergency operations are taking place.
- All cones used for controlling traffic must be consistent in construction with the manual of uniform traffic control devices section 6F.01.
- Always face traffic when removing cones (Never turn your back on traffic)
- Channelizing devices must be constructed and ballasted to perform in a predictable manner when inadvertently struck by a vehicle and should be crashworthy.
- Channelizing devices should be crashworthy.
- Fragments or other debris from the device or the ballast should not pose a significant hazard to road users or workers.
- All devices should be MUTCD compliant.
Single Lane Roadways
- Traffic cones are placed in a straight and single line across both directions of traffic.
- Crews will never set up a taper in either direction of travel.
- Once traffic has stopped, crew members equipped with a stop/slow paddle will divert traffic one direction at a time.
- A portable radio on a fireground channel can assist and/or coordinate traffic.
Multi-lane Roadways
- Crews will set up a cone taper pattern to direct traffic away from the activity area.
- A proper taper will start with a minimum of 6 traffic cones and may be extended if needed.
- The first traffic cone is placed off the rear of the apparatus bumper, slightly over the white line.
- Crews then take 10 steps (approximately 30’) upstream and one step inwards (away from traffic) then place the next cone.
- No crew member shall standalone at the rear of the blocking apparatus with a stop/slow paddle. Instead, crew members will stand in the front of the blocking apparatus with the stop/slow paddle.
Safety
- Maintain safety by facing oncoming traffic and staying in safe protected zones.
- All members shall work within the protected incident workspace at all times.
Personal Protective Equipment
- Proper Personal Protective Equipment / Clothing is required for all traffic incidents.
- All personnel shall wear class II high-visibility safety vests in addition to required personal protective equipment (PPE) whenever the emergency scene is located on or near a roadway where firefighters are subject to the hazards of moving traffic, construction vehicles or disaster recovery equipment.
- Members working on roadways but not directly exposed to fire, flame, excessive heat or hazardous materials are expected to wear a high-visibility vest, such as pump operators, support personnel, and command officers.
- High-visibility safety vests should be donned along with other appropriate PPE at the time of dispatch.
- Wear high-visibility vests when a member or supervisor believes increased visibility would improve safety or efficiency.
Warning Devices
- Safety Cones: All safety cones must be at least 18 inches high and have 6-inch retro reflective tape approximately 3-4” from the top of the cone.
- Safety Cones: Cones shall be deployed on all roadway incidents that require more than 5 minutes on scene.
- Warning Sign: Minimum sign size for high-speed highway use is 48” x 48” and must be retro reflective with black lettering.
- Warning Sign: The NLFD requires a 48” x 48” sign for all traffic incidents that are in progress longer than 30 minutes and/or the traffic incident is in a location of poor visibility such as around a bend or up-hill.
- Warning Signs: The sign is placed in the Advanced Warning Area and used in conjunction with the safety cones.
- Flares: Enhance scene safety at night.
- Flares: Motorists are more likely to follow the flare pattern than to drive over the flares.
Lighting
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Provides warning only and is not effective in traffic control.
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Can be confusing for road users, especially at night.
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Can be reduced once a proper TCZ has been established, especially for major traffic incidents.
- Scene Lighting: Nighttime operations at an incident require lights. Keep lights from obscuring traffic visibility.
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Primarily for the safety of emergency responders and persons involved in the traffic incident, as well as road users approaching the traffic incident.
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Vehicles at the beginning of the transition zone will have rear emergency vehicle lights activated, including the arrow stick.
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Vehicles within the TTCZ will reduce their lighting to emergency flashers only.
- Emergency Vehicle Lighting: Reduced scene lighting helps the “Spotter” view approaching traffic without being affected by all the emergency lighting.
- Arrow Sticks: Direct traffic around the roadway incident.
- Rear mounted lighting: Provides early warning to the motoring public that an incident is ahead.
- Rear mounted arrow sticks: Only used during roadway incidents.
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Description
Explore the essential components of a Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program tailored for the New Lenox Fire Protection District. This quiz covers critical guidelines including traffic control, personnel responsibilities, and safety protocols for emergency responders. Learn about the various areas involved in traffic incident management and ensure safe practices on the road.
