HID12 • June 2001

Traffic Hazards to

Fire Fighters While

Working Along Roadways

Description of HAZARD

The number of fire fighters struck and killed by motor vehicles

has dramatically increased within recent years. During the 5-year

period between 1995 and 1999, 17 fire fighters were struck and

killed by motorists. This represents an 89% increase in the

number of line-of-duty deaths over the previous 5-year period

(between 1990 and 1994), when 9 fire fighters were struck and

killed by motor vehicles [NFPA 2000]. Under the Fire Fighter

Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, NIOSH

investigated two separate incidents involving fire fighters who

were struck and killed while providing emergency services along

roadways during 1999 [NIOSH 1999, 2000]. These incidents and

data demonstrate that hazards to the fire service are not limited

to structural or wildland fires. Motorists accustomed to a clear,

unobstructed roadway may not recognize and avoid closed

lanes or emergency workers on or near the roadway. In some

cases, conditions can reduce a motorist’s ability to see and avoid

fire fighters and apparatus. Some examplesinclude weather, time

of day, scene lighting (i.e., area lighting and optical warning

devices), traffic speed and volume, and road configuration

(i.e., hills, curves, and other obstructions that limit visibility).

These hazards are not limited to the fire service alone. Other

emergency service providers such as law enforcement officers,

paramedics, and vehicle recovery personnel are also exposed to

these hazards.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
CASE STUDIES

On August 5, 1999, one fire fighter died,

and a second fire fighter and another

person were severely injured when

they were struck by a motor vehicle

that lost control on a wet and busy

interstate highway [NIOSH 1999]. A

heavy-rescue squad and a ladder truck

had been dispatched to a single motor

vehicle crash on an interstate highway.

Approximately 2 minutes after they

arrived on the scene and took a position

to the rear of the rescue squad (protecting

the initial vehicle crash scene), another

car collided with the back of the ladder

truck (Figure 1). While attending to the

injuries of the driver who struck the ladder truck, two fire fighters and the injured driver were struck by a third car,

causing one fire fighter to be fatally

injured and the second fire fighter and

the driver (who had collided with the

back of the ladder truck) to be severely

injured.

On September 27, 1999, a fire fighter

died after being struck by a tractor

trailer truck while directing traffic along

a four-lane highway [NIOSH 2000].

The victim was standing in front of an

apparatus that was parked (facing north)

in the outer emergency lane for the southbound traffic. The emergency lights of

the apparatus were on and functioning

properly at the time of the incident. He

was called out to provide assistance for

a neighboring fire department that had

responded to a tractor-trailer crash. The

initial tractor-trailer crash and subsequent fire fighter fatality occurred during

a heavy rainstorm along a 1-mile stretch

of a four-lane highway. Thirty-nine collisions have occurred on this 1-mile

stretch of road since 1994.

Recommendations for prevention

Any fire fighter working along any type of roadway runs the

risk of being struck by a motorist. To prevent such incidents, NIOSH recommends that fire departments and fire

fighters take the following actions:

Fire departments:

• Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating

procedures (SOPs) regarding emergency operations for

roadway incidents.

• Implement an incident management system to manage

all emergency incidents.

• Establish a unified command for incidents that occur

where multiple agencies have jurisdiction.

• Ensure that a separate incidentsafety officer (independent of

the incident commander) is appointed.

• Develop pre-incident plans for areas that have a high rate

of motor vehicle crashes.

• Establish pre-incident agreements with law enforcement

and other agencies such as the highway department.

• Ensure that fire fighters are trained in safe procedures for

operating in or near moving traffic.

• Ensure thatfire fighters wearsuitable high-visibility apparel

such as a strong yellow-green or orange reflecting flagger

vest when operating at an emergency scene.

Fire fighters:

• Ensure that the fire apparatus is positioned to take

advantage of topography and weather conditions (uphill

and upwind) and to protect fire fighters from traffic.

• Park or stage unneeded vehicles off the roadway

whenever possible.

• If police have not yet arrived at a scene involving a

highway incident or fire, first control the oncoming

vehicles before safely turning your attention to the

emergency.

• Position yourself and any victim(s) in a secure area that

maximizes your visibility to motorists when it is

impossible to protect the incident scene from immediate

danger.

• Use a traffic control device that maximizes your visibility to

motorists when controlling traffic.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The principal contributors to this publication were

Mark F. McFall and Eric R. Schmidt, NIOSH. Internal review was provided by Stephanie Pratt,

DSR, NIOSH. External reviews were provided by

Rita Fahy, National Fire Protection Association;

Barbara Hauser, County Department of Transportation, Phoenix, Arizona; Gary Morris, Phoenix

Fire Department, Phoenix, Arizona; Ron Moore,

Plano Fire Department, Plano, Texas; Guenther

Lerch, Professional Engineer.

REFERENCES

NFPA [2000]. U.S. fire fightersstruck by vehicles,

1977–1999. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection

Association. Unpublished.

NIOSH [1999]. One fire fighter died and a second

fire fighter was severely injured after being struck

by a motor vehicle on an interstate highway—OK.

Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99F–27.

NIOSH [2000]. Volunteer fire fighter died after

being struck by an eighteen-wheel tractor trailer

truck—SC. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99F–38.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Hall R, Adams B, eds. [1998]. Essentials of fire

fighting. 4th ed. Stillwater, OK: Board of Regents,

Oklahoma State University.

Figure 1. View of cars that collided with ladder

truck [NIOSH 1999].

Kipp JD, Loflin ME [1996]. Emergency incident

risk management: a safety and health perspective.

New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

NFPA [1995]. NFPA standard on fire department

incident management system. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1561.

NFPA [1997]. NFPA standard on fire department

occupational safety and health program. Quincy,

MA: National Fire Protection Association, NFPA

1500.

NFPA [1997]. NFPA standard for a fire department service vehicle operations training program.

Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1451.

NFPA [1998]. NFPA standard for road tunnels,

bridges, and other limited access highways.

Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 502.

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal

Highway Administration [1998]. Standards and

guides for traffic controls for street and highway

construction, maintenance, utility, and incident

management operations. Part VI of the manual on

uniform traffic control devices (MUTCD). 3rd rev.

Fredericksburg, VA: American Traffic Safety

Services Association.

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001–143