Cy-Fair Fire Fighters, Paramedics Raise Awareness for Crash Responder Safety Week
Nearly once every week, a first responder is killed nationally while attempting to clear a roadway crash. To draw awareness around this alarming statistic, agencies across the Greater Houston Area are coming together this week for Crash Responder Safety Week, including Cy-Fair Professional Firefighters Association Local 5248.
From November 13 - 17, Cy-Fair Professional Firefighters Association Local 5248 will highlight the critical role that each of us play in keeping responders safe as they work to keep our roadways safe and clear.
“Roadside rescues are among the most dangerous emergency calls we handle, not just for drivers and their passengers but also for those of us clearing the roads,” says Local 5248 President Chris Fillmore. “We ask everyone on the road to please use extreme caution when passing the scene of an accident so we can all get home safe.”
When responding to motor vehicle collisions, Cy-Fair Firefighters and Paramedics work with law enforcement, towing and recovery, public works, and safety service patrols to safely clear incidents. On any given day, approximately 50,000 traffic incident responders work roadside to provide emergency response and to restore safe travel after traffic incidents, such as crashes or spilled cargo.
Throughout Crash Responder Safety Week, the Federal Highway Administration collaborates with national partners, states, and local responders to reduce the number of traffic incident responders injured or killed in the line of duty. As part of this initiative, road users are encouraged to heed the Move Over law and protect those who protect you. When passing an incident scene, motorists are asked to slow down and, if possible, move over into an adjacent lane to provide a protective buffer between responders and motorists.
