Training of Traffic Incident Responders (2012)

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1The second Strategic Highway Research Program’s Reliability Project L12, Improving Traffic Incident Scene Management, was designed to establish the foundation for and promote certification of responders to achieve the three objectives of the traffic incident management (TIM) national unified goal (NUG). The intent is to motivate responders from different stake- holder groups—law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services (EMS), the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), towing and recovery, and notification and dispatch—to acquire a common set of core competencies to promote a shared understanding of the requirements for achieving the safety of responders and motorists, quick response, and effective communications at traffic incident scenes. A multiagency and multidisciplinary course was developed as a result of this research that uses a variety of adult-learning techniques, including interactive seminar, case study analysis, tabletop role-play and scenario, and field practicum. The training was developed for delivery through a 2-day intensive format or a modular (single lesson per session) format. A train-the- trainer curriculum also was developed to facilitate cost-effective cultivation of qualified trainers across the country. The research approach used to develop the core competencies and the training curriculum and materials employed more than 100 subject-matter experts (SMEs) across six TIM disci- pline areas. Core multidisciplinary competencies were identified with input from a group of cross-disciplinary TIM SMEs. These competencies provided a framework from which the cur- riculum could be built and design documents created. These design documents were reviewed by two groups: the SMEs who were originally responsible for contributing to the list of responder actions and an independent evaluation group (IEG) nominated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). IEG input was incorporated into the design documents. After the course materials were developed, formative evaluation was conducted by holding two IEG- observed pilot training sessions. Feedback was garnered from the 80 student participants, and postpilot workshops were held with the IEG to obtain their input. Based on the research team’s observations during each pilot and input from the students and IEG, revisions were incorpo- rated into the draft final materials. The research team drew several conclusions from the research: 1. Participants received the training program well and viewed it as beneficial. The positive evaluation results discussed in the section in Chapter 3 on the assessment of training effec- tiveness demonstrate this response. 2. As a result of the training, participants demonstrated an understanding of the core compe- tencies used to develop course materials (see section in Chapter 3 on the assessment of training effectiveness). This response demonstrates that the course materials and delivery Executive Summary

2approaches successfully enabled course participants to achieve terminal and enabling learn- ing objectives. 3. A critical component of implementing the training is ensuring that it is transferable to other instructors. The research team believes that the course would benefit from additional deliver- ies (see suggested research in Chapter 4) to evaluate and refine methods for training potential instructors. An evaluation of learning transfer and results, which is discussed in Chapter 4, could occur at the same time. 4. Because some agencies may experience difficulty in sending responders to 2 full days of training, the research team recommends that portions of the content should be converted to an online format and be designated as a prerequisite to classroom training so that the classroom component could be reduced to 1 day (see Chapter 4 for a discussion of online training). 5. Central oversight and administration for the training program should be considered for the first 3 to 5 years to facilitate institutionalization of the curriculum as a certified and accred- ited national curriculum, supplemented with collaborative SME-based curriculum updates annually and more frequently as needed. The central administration model likely can then be supplanted by a distributed model in which certified and accredited delivery channels are in place but central oversight of the curriculum baseline is preserved, as discussed in the section in Chapter 4 on leadership and oversight for the training. 6. The research team recommends facilitated feedback sessions with national and regional stakeholder organizations, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Fire Protection Association, the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA), and the National Emergency Management Association, to explore the attractive- ness, feasibility, and ideal environments for modular delivery of the training. Similarly, the feasibility of integrating TIM strategies into existing discipline-specific offerings could be investigated, as discussed in Chapter 4. To help defray the high costs associated with con- ference attendance, virtual webinars could be conducted using online collaborative tools, such as Group Systems’ Think Tank. The online tools would enable multiple participants to view materials, provide comments, and interact with each other on a virtual basis. This model was used to develop the list of responder actions and the core competencies.