Clearly defined roles may help emergency responders stay safe on fast roads

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-03-04 06:00

Australia; VIC

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How do we keep our emergency workers safe when they are responding to calls on high-speed roads? Aussie scientists analysed 295 survey responses from law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical staff and traffic management responders, detailing emergency incidents on fast roads in Victoria. The researchers say outcomes were better when responders' roles were clearly defined, with fewer near misses and secondary incidents. Some safety management activities are shared across agencies, they say, which can lead to a lack of clarity about roles. Other factors that improved outcomes were being motivated by safety, and being willing to speak out about safety concerns, although the latter only helped prevent near misses, not secondary incidents. Surprisingly, involvement in safety compliance training did not affect outcomes, they add. The experts hope their findings can be used to improve safety procedures for emergency responders.