Call_0004-_SOO_F-_Enhanced_Roadway_Safety_for_First_Responders.pdf

Enhanced Roadway Safety for First Responders Statement of Objectives BAA 13-012/Call 0004/ SOO F

October 13, 2015 Science and Technology Directorate Department of Homeland Security

DISTRIBUTION NOTICE: Further dissemination only as directed by DHS Office of Policy DESTRUCTION NOTICE: Destroy by any method that will prevent disclosure of contents or reconstruction of the document.

October 5, 2015 i

Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose

2.0 Scope (Capability Gap)

3.0 Period and Place of Performance

4.0 Background

5.0 Functional Requirements

5.1 Overall Concept of Operations

5.2 Threat

5.3 Operating Constraints (Current Technology Shortfalls)

5.4 Specific Required Capabilities

5.4.1 Operation

5.4.2 Functionality

5.5 System Performance

5.5.1 Mission Scenarios

5.5.2 Compatibility and Interoperability

5.5.3 Human Interface Requirements

5.5.4 Logistics and Readiness

5.5.6 Durability

5.6 System Support

5.6.1 Maintenance

5.6.2 Capabilities and Limitations

5.6.3 Supply

5.7 Training

5.8 Storage

5.9 System Affordability

5.10 Certification Requirements for Product Conformity

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of the proposed solution is to reduce the risk of emergency responders (i.e., Fire, Emergency Medical Service [EMS], and Law Enforcement personnel) from being struck by vehicles while operating on the roadway. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Foundation, the USFA firefighter fatality database, the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (via the ResponderSafety.com website), and others have documented roadside fatality statistics related to on-duty emergency responders being struck on the roadway.1 The proposed solution will involve furthering research into both scenarios − emergency vehicle and roadway operations safety − to reduce resulting fatalities. It should be noted, however, that improving roadside safety should be considered from a two-fold perspective:

• Maximize positional visibility of the responder as far as possible (e.g., personal protective equipment [PPE] – clothing); and

• Assume that passing vehicles cannot see responders (e.g., need for better training, changed mindset).

The proposed solution must address issues of distraction, glare, or temporary blindness/brightness caused from emergency vehicle lighting, which have the potential to confuse drivers and draw them towards a scene of an emergency, especially in inclement weather.

2.0 Scope (Capability Gap)

The solution should examine existing roadway safety operations, technology, and modifications.

Such technology will include responder protective clothing, emergency warning lighting, vehicle conspicuity technology, warning signage, vehicle detection technology, etc. The solution may require responders to wear an additional piece of PPE, or modify existing standards to include this new requirement. The aim of this technology development project will be to reduce on-duty death, injury, and near-misses by emergency responders. Benefiting responders include law enforcement, fire service, EMS, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) highway responders, and more.

Research for this solution is currently being performed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), DOT, USFA, and other department or agencies. Additionally, international research should also be considered to include leading studies and recommendations from the United Kingdom (UK) regarding police vehicle marking recommendations, European ambulance standards, and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) information on high-visibility clothing.2

Emphasis should be on officers wearing non-reflective, hard-to-see personal equipment which place them in greater risk of roadside accidents/collisions. The proposed solution should not necessarily be a vest, because first responders are oftentimes resistant to using them.

1 USFA flyer, “Roadway Operations Safety”: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/operations/ops_vehicle.html.

2 UK Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch, “High-Conspicuity Livery for Police Vehicles,” Publication No. 14/04, CROWN COPYRIGHT 2004:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/http:/scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publicat ions/road-policing-publications/14-04-High-Conspicuity-Li12835.pdf?view=Binary; Publication No. 47/06:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/http:/scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publicat ions/road-policing-publications/47-06_-_High_Conspicuity_Li12835.pdf?view=Binary; and the UK HSE “High Visibility Clothing” factsheet: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/clothing.htm.

http://www.respondersafety.com/ http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/http:/scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications/road-policing-publications/14-04-High-Conspicuity-Li12835.pdf?view=Binary http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/http:/scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications/road-policing-publications/14-04-High-Conspicuity-Li12835.pdf?view=Binary http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/http:/scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications/road-policing-publications/47-06_-_High_Conspicuity_Li12835.pdf?view=Binary http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/http:/scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications/road-policing-publications/47-06_-_High_Conspicuity_Li12835.pdf?view=Binary

By further developing the efficiency of emergency warning lights, vehicles used by first responders will become more visible to motorist, resulting in fewer accidents and potential fatalities. This technology could also detect vehicles going off course which could potentially hit emergency responders or their vehicles, as well as other relevant roadway safety technology.

3.0 Period and Place of Performance

The period of performance shall be between 18 to 24 months. There are currently no existing restrictions on the place of performance.

4.0 Background

There are several challenges with enhancing the safety of emergency responders operating on the roadway. Numerous emergency responders have been struck by vehicles and either injured or killed, as reflected in the citations above related to firefighter fatality reporting.

5.0 Functional Requirements

5.1 Overall Concept of Operations

Conceptually, the proposed solution should be integrated into, or modify, existing roadway operations safety technology, including protective clothing, vehicle emergency warning lighting, and other technology used by law enforcement, firefighting, and EMS.

5.2 Threat

The threat is emergency responders getting struck by vehicles while operating on the roadway including traffic stops, vehicle crashes, disabled vehicles, fires, provision of emergent patient care, hazardous materials incidents, etc.

5.3 Operating Constraints (Current Technology Shortfalls)

Despite advances in operations and technology to support roadway safety, numerous law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other emergency responders continue to be injured or killed while on duty due to being struck by vehicles. Current metrics on emergency responder road side fatalities are reflected in the “purpose” section of this document.

5.4 Specific Required Capabilities

5.4.1 Operation

The proposed solution requires that technology be developed to enhance responder roadway safety operations and effectiveness through the inclusion of protective clothing, emergency warning lighting, vehicle conspicuity technology, warning signage, vehicle detection technology, and more.

5.4.2 Functionality

The proposed solution must be fully integrated into existing roadway technology and practices used by emergency responders without negatively impacting their safety.

5.5 System Performance

5.5.1 Mission Scenarios

The proposed solution will seamlessly integrate into all normal operations and be fully compatible with existing roadway operations performed by emergency responders.

5.5.2 Compatibility and Interoperability

The solution must meet the following requirements:

• Integrate into, or modify, current roadway operations safety technology;

• Enhance roadway safety operations by reducing the number of roadway incidents where responders are hit;

• Cannot impede normal physical emergency operations by responders;

• Ensure compliance with the current edition of the DOT Manual of Uniform of Traffic Safety

Devices, with Revision Numbers 1 and 2 incorporated, dated May 2012 (especially Chapter 6 – Temporary Traffic Control);

• Meet all relevant National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards and requirements, including those outlined in Section 5.10 below; and

Ideally, the technology should also endeavor to meet these additional requirements:

• Enhanced PPE to make the garments more visible to motorists;

• More effective emergency warning lighting that do not distract motorists and make the emergency responder less visible to the motoring public;

• High visibility PPE for LE that can be manually activated;

• Vehicle conspicuity technology that enhances the visibility of law enforcement, fire service, and other emergency vehicles;

• Technology to detect vehicles going off course which could potentially hit emergency responders or their vehicles; and

• Any additional relevant roadway operations safety technology the manufacturer proposes.

• UK personal identification and marking standards for pedestrian based personnel (for reflective gear).

5.5.3 Human Interface Requirements

The solution must provide first responders full functionality when performing emergency roadway operations.

5.5.4 Logistics and Readiness

The technology shall be used by emergency responders when performing normal activities on the roadway.

5.5.6 Durability

The solution must meet all current design and performance standards and requirements as set forth in DOT, SAE, NFPA and other applicable regulations and standards.

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/mutcd2009r1r2edition.pdf http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/mutcd2009r1r2edition.pdf http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/part6.pdf http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/part6.pdf

5.6 System Support

5.6.1 Maintenance

All maintenance for the item(s) and related equipment shall be defined by the contractor, including:

the required maintenance schedule, identification of the specific system components that require maintenance and the type of maintenance required. In addition, the contractor must stipulate whether the maintenance can be performed in the field by operational personnel, manufacturer representatives or if it must be returned to the manufacturer for maintenance.

5.6.2 Capabilities and Limitations

As with any equipment, the capabilities and limitations of the device shall be made clear to all users. This should include any special operations, cleaning procedures, or storage conditions that are required to preserve the protective properties of the technology developed.

5.6.3 Supply

The required demand for the technology will be determined by individual agencies and departments based upon the cost, the quantity required for personnel, and the effectiveness and applicability of the solution to the agency’s operational scenarios and requirements. Fire departments will continue to follow existing applicable NFPA standards.

5.7 Training

Training information shall be provided on specialized equipment and shall include instructions on proper use, storage, cleaning, deployment, and maintenance. Any specialty requirements of personnel conducting maintenance, storage, extraction, or delivery will be identified including certification requirements. Training materials shall be available initially in hard copy, and subsequently in soft copy format.

5.8 Storage

Storage for the solution must meet all current requirements set forth by applicable standards. The manufacturer shall specify all storage requirements for items developed under this proposed solution.

5.9 System Affordability

The DHS S&T First Responder Resource Group, a national subject matter expert body that has representation from all major responder disciplines, recommend that the unit cost for this technology should ideally be no greater than existing emergency responder roadway operations technology.

5.10 Certification Requirements for Product Conformity

The technology developed must meet all of the following system performance specifications and standards:

• NFPA 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (for firefighter solutions);

• NFPA 1917 Standard for Automotive Ambulances;

• SAE J-2498 Minimum Performance of the Warning Light System Used on Emergency

Vehicles;

• SAE J-595 Directional Flashing Optical Warning Devices for Authorized Emergency, Maintenance, and Service Vehicles; and

• SAE J-845 Optical Warning Devices for Authorized Emergency, Maintenance, and Service Vehicles and other relevant Standards.

From a reference/modeling perspective, the following European standard should be considered if the intent is to market the solution internationally:

• CEN 1789:2007 European Union Standard for Ambulances and Medical Transportation Vehicles (specifies requirements for the design, testing, performance and equipping of road ambulances used for the transport and care of patients).