A crash scene is never static. Patients need care, vehicles may be unstable, traffic continues to move, and a secondary collision can happen without warning.
During Crash Responder Safety Week (November 2–6, 2026), the message to motorists is clear: “Slow Down, Move Over. Lives are on the Line!”
For fire and EMS leaders, that message carries an equally important responsibility: making roadway safety a planned, practiced, and consistent part of emergency response.
Roadway Safety Requires a Coordinated Response
Firefighters and EMS personnel share the roadside with law enforcement, transportation crews, public works, safety patrols, and towing and recovery operators.
Each discipline has a critical role, but all face the same dangers from passing traffic.
A safe incident scene requires coordinated decisions about access, lane closures, patient care, traffic control, and clearance. These risks cannot be managed in isolation, particularly when incidents cross jurisdictional boundaries.
Remind Motorists: Slow Down, Move Over
The public plays an essential role in protecting roadside responders.
When approaching flashing lights or people working near the roadway, motorists should:
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Slow down and move over when safe to do so.
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Stay alert and follow directions from emergency personnel.
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Avoid distractions, including phones and recording video.
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Give responders room to work and move equipment safely.
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Use caution around stalled vehicles and roadway debris, not just major crashes.
A few seconds of attention can help prevent another emergency.
Make Roadway Safety an Operational Priority
Chiefs must turn the public safety message into an operational standard within their own organizations.
Before the next roadway incident, review response procedures with internal personnel and partner agencies.
Key Questions Every Fire Chief Should Address
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Who is responsible for requesting traffic control?
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How does dispatch communicate direction of travel and access points?
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When should additional blocking apparatus or transportation resources be requested?
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Who has authority to adjust the traffic management plan as conditions change?
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How will responding agencies coordinate command and operational responsibilities?
Practice these decisions through realistic exercises based on local roadways, and document lessons learned to improve future responses.
Protect Responders Through Safe Apparatus Placement
Apparatus positioning is a critical part of roadway incident management.
Crews need a protected work area and safe access to patients without repeatedly crossing active traffic lanes.
Appropriate blocking, warning measures, high-visibility apparel when indicated, and disciplined movement within the scene can reduce exposure.
However, apparatus placement also introduces additional considerations. Blocking vehicles may create traffic queues and new hazards, requiring continuous reassessment.
Company officers should evaluate:
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Traffic speed and sight distance
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Weather and roadway conditions
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Curves, hills, and other visibility limitations
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The potential for vehicles to enter closed lanes
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Available staffing, apparatus, and mutual aid resources
A rural department may require early mutual aid, while an urban highway incident may benefit from coordinated advance warnings across multiple interchanges.
The objective is to establish a protected work area while continuously adapting to changing conditions.
Train Together Before the Next Emergency
Effective roadway incident management depends on shared training and clear communication across responding agencies.
The Federal Highway Administration's National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training provides free instruction covering scene size-up, vehicle positioning, command, traffic management, and incident clearance.
The IAFC also directs members to roadway safety training opportunities through the Responder Safety Learning Network.
Fire chiefs should encourage participation from career, volunteer, and mutual aid personnel and incorporate joint exercises with dispatch, law enforcement, transportation, and towing partners.
Training is most valuable when it changes how responders operate at the next incident.
Balance Safe Clearance With Responder Protection
Clearing an incident scene is a safety decision, not simply a race to reopen traffic lanes.
Command must establish an appropriate incident footprint, protect patient care and investigative needs, and coordinate the removal of personnel and equipment.
Extended traffic queues can increase exposure and contribute to secondary crashes. However, reopening lanes before responders and equipment are clear creates additional risks.
A coordinated incident management plan helps agencies balance these priorities and communicate operational changes effectively.
Turn Crash Responder Safety Week Into Year-Round Action
Crash Responder Safety Week offers fire and EMS leaders an opportunity to evaluate current practices and strengthen roadway safety programs.
Chiefs can use this week to:
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Review roadway near misses and apparatus strikes.
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Evaluate roadway response policies and operational procedures.
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Assess responder training participation and completion.
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Identify resource gaps and coordinate improvements with partner agencies.
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Share consistent public safety messaging through schools, local media, and community channels.
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Engage transportation, law enforcement, and towing partners in roadway safety planning.
Recognizing the professionals who respond to roadway incidents is important. So is ensuring their work is never treated as routine or without risk.
Roadway Safety Doesn't End After CRSW
Crash Responder Safety Week concludes November 6, but the responsibility to protect responders continues with every call.
The IAFC urges motorists to slow down and move over and encourages fire and EMS leaders to make roadway protection a planned, practiced, and measurable part of emergency response.
Our goal is simple: care for those who need help, protect everyone working at the scene, and ensure every responder goes home safely.
About the Author
Norris W. Croom III, EFO, CEMSO, CFO, is the Fire Chief of the Castle Rock (Colorado) Fire and Rescue Department. An IAFC member since 1998, he previously served on the IAFC Board of Directors and the IAFC EMS Section Board of Directors.