Photo Credits: SAIC

Bring the National Traffic

Incident Management

Responder Training Program

to your area and help improve

safety at traffic incidents.

Get results!

► Want safer responses to incidents?

► Want to build a stronger, more 

coordinated responder corps? 

► Want access to the most up-todate, multi-agency standards?

Who can take the training?

The key to building stronger incident 

response teams is to train responders 

across all agencies together. Then, these 

trained responders train their colleagues, 

expanding the reach of the TIM program 

across their region or State. 

Training classes include representatives

across the responder spectrum: 

•	 Law enforcement 

•	 Fire and rescue personnel

•	 Emergency medical services 

•	 Transportation agencies 

•	 Towing and recovery professionals 

•	 Notification and dispatch personnel

•	 Hazardous materials management 

responders 

•	 Coroners and medical examiners 

•	 Public works professionals 

What other States or regions 

have held training seminars?

Training classes are now being held 

across the United States. Our goal is to 

provide training in every State, the District 

of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

May 2013

FHWA-HOP-13-032

What are the benefits?

Save Lives

► Safer and more effective

on-scene techniques. 

► Less exposure to responders 

reduces injuries and fatalities.

Save Money

► Less freight and traveler 

time spent in backups. 

► Fewer secondary crashes.

► Fewer insurance claims.

► Fewer responder vehicles hit by traffic.

► Cost savings for response agencies. 

Save Time

► Faster incident clearance 

times, decreasing delays.

Here’s what your colleagues have 

to say about the Training Program:

“Great training .... Lots of resources given 

for future use.” 

—Police Officer,

Dayton Police Department

“All of our participants came away with 

[a] new perspective of our job at the 

scene and a new understanding of how 

all the players need to work together to 

be safe.” 

—Towing Participant (Montana)
Photo Credits: SAIC

New national training 

program improves traffic 

incident responder safety 

and reduces congestion

Unified “team” approach 

allows the roads to be 

cleared faster 

Three injury crashes occur every minute in the United 

States, putting nearly 39,000 incident responders 

potentially in harm’s way every day. Congestion from 

these incidents can generate secondary crashes, 

increasing traveler delay and 

frustration. The longer responders 

remain at the scene, the greater 

the risk they, and the traveling 

public, face. 

This new national training program 

is building a cadre of well-trained 

responders who can work together 

as a team in a coordinated 

manner, from the moment the first emergency call

is made, to the correct deployment of response 

vehicles and equipment, to a safe work area using 

traffic control devices, to final scene clearance.

What is the training?

A new multi-disciplinary training program is now 

available for all emergency responders and those 

supporting Traffic Incident Management (TIM)

operations. The training brings together police, 

firefighters, State and local departments of 

transportation, towing, medical personnel, and 

other incident responders, leading to a safer, 

faster, integrated responder team.

How was the training developed?

Developed through the second Strategic Highway 

Research Program (SHRP2), the Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA) is partnering with the

American Association of State Highway and 

Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to offer this

training. SHRP2 research identified the best TIM

practices, which were incorporated into a new, 

pilot-tested curriculum. This FHWA-led course will 

build a team of trainers within each State, region, 

or agency, who will, in turn, train their colleagues 

using this innovative curriculum.

I’ve had training before.

How is this different?

This comprehensive curriculum uses a common 

set of practices and advanced standards across 

all responder disciplines. The training is delivered 

through interactive seminars, case study analysis, 

tabletop role-playing scenarios, and field practicum.

Participants can attend a 12-hour intensive course, 

a four-hour modified version, or several shorter,

single-lesson modules. Training modules are 

flexible and can be modified to fit State and local 

regulations or practices.

Who supports this program?

► The International Association

of Chiefs of Police

► The International Association

of Fire Chiefs

► The National Volunteer Fire Council

► The American Association of State 

Highway and Transportation Officials

► Towing and Recovery Association

of America

How can I get more information?

To find out more about the training

opportunities in your region, or to bring the 

program to your State or agency, contact 

TIMTraining@dot.gov at FHWA.