This past year, the Denton Fire Department had several instances where its safety zone blocker fire engine was struck by distracted drivers after responding to accidents on high-speed roadways.
The secondary accidents had the potential to cause more issues and be more costly than the primary accident.
For Denton, there were costs associated with fixing the blocker engine and it being out of service several months for the repair. There was also great potential for the driver and passengers in the secondary accident to incur injuries or possible fatalities.
1 The Denton (TX) Fire Department has placed in service a custom-built ERBV as a way to prevent secondary crashes on highways. [Photos courtesy of Denton (TX) Fire Department.]
While the blocker engine placement provides great protection for the first responders at the primary accident, its placement exposes it to oncoming traffic. You have basically placed a $800,000, or more, piece of equipment in a chaotic situation. Given the weight and size of these engines, it’s like putting up a brick wall on a high-speed, multilane highway.
Denton Chief Kenneth Hedges contacted Striping Service and Supply for a solution to his problem. He was looking for a way to protect his crew and his equipment while making it safer for drivers.
The team at Striping Service and Supply has more than 100 years of both highway and personal safety experience, with expertise in the field of high-speed traffic safety; the staff are First Responder Traffic Incident Management (TIM)-certified. The staff met with Denton Fire’s executive team several times, listened to their situation, and worked with them to develop the first-ever, custom-built Emergency Response Blocking Vehicle (ERBV). The apparatus, based on a Peterbilt cab and chassis, is fully equipped with fire emergency lighting, a 4- x 8-foot variable message board, and a TrafFix Scorpion blocker attenuator.
2 Denton’s ERBV is equipped with a TrafFix Scorpion blocker attenuator on the rear that is specifically designed with several crush zones to systematically slow down the vehicle in a crash situation.
3 The new, purpose-built blocking vehicle is also equipped with a 4- x 8-foot message board and a full complement of emergency warning lights.
This new apparatus will protect any traffic incident management zone, the department’s equipment, and personnel. Distracted drivers will also have a better chance of reduced injuries and fatalities, as the TrafFix Blocker Scorpion has several “crush zones” designed to systematically slow down the vehicle in a crash situation.
The staff at Striping Service and Supply believe it’s critical to continue to develop and innovate to protect the TIM zone. Incorporating this equipment as primary response equipment is new for the U.S. fire industry. Staff at the company will work with fire departments, the National Fire Protection Association, state chiefs’ associations, and other entities to improve safety within the TIM zone.
TIM PORCH is the national sales manager for Striping Service and Supply’s Highway and Fire Safety Division. He is also certified in traffic incident management and a member of the American Traffic Safety Services Association and the National Fire Protection Association 1500 and 1091 focus groups.
