Executive Summary: Traffic Incident Management Resource Management

2009PDFBooklet/PamphletFHWA-HOP-08-060xIncident managementMultidisciplinary teamsLaw enforcementFire departmentsUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationFederal Highway AdministrationThe necessity of a multi-disciplinary approach\u2014involving law enforcement, fire and rescue, transportation, towing and recovery, and others\u2014has been well-recognized and integrated into traffic incident management (TIM) operations to encourage safe and quick clearance of highway incidents. This same multi-disciplinary approach has not been as widely extended to the area of resource management. Under a multi-disciplinary approach, efficient and effective TIM resource management relies on the utilization of appropriate:Personnel who are best qualified (i.e., capable, but not over-qualified) for the various tasks;Equipment by function (i.e., use of the least costly equipment to perform the function); andTechnology capable of supporting various on-site resource tasks as well as reducing the overall resources required through reduced redundancy across disciplines.To demonstrate the potential for enhanced TIM resource management efficiency and effectiveness, this Primer considered hypothetical examples for select TIM functions, including motorist assistance, dispatch/response, scene protection, temporary traffic control, detour management, firefighting, minor spill mitigation/cleanup, crash investigation, victim relocation, and vehicle/debris removal.81