LEE'S SUMMIT - A room full of state highway patrol may make some people nervous. But today they participated in a potentially
life-saving incident training led by KC Scout's own incident response management team.
SHRP II or Strategic Highway Research program from the Federal Highway Administration started in 2005 to help emergency responders
working a traffic incident. The training is designed for ALL types of responders – fire, police, tow truck drivers and
anyone who provides incident management like KC Scout's Emergency Response Operators.
The national model for incident management practices is based on many of the tactics honed by KC Scout and their incident response team.
The training focuses on coordinating all the responders so the incident can be assessed, worked and cleared as quickly, but safely as possible.
Class participants have included Missouri and Kansas Highway Patrols, tow truck operators, MoDOT construction and maintenance staff,
KC Scout's traffic management team, metro area fire departments, county sheriff officers and city police.
"The training has three goals: responder safety, safe quick clearance and prompt and reliable communications," said Jeff Gardner,
KC Scout's Incident Response Manager. "But if you sum up this class in one word, it's always safety. Safe responders, safe traveling public."
Gardner, a 30-year veteran of the fire department, has worked incidents as a first responder and incident manager.
"Our incident responders are like your family. We may not always agree but we want them all to go home safe every night.
That is why this training is so important."
Click here to see photos from the training.
Learn more about the SHRP II program online.
KC Scout is Kansas City's bi-state traffic management system, designed to lessen traffic jams by improving rush-hour speeds,
increasing safety by decreasing the number of rush-hour accidents and improving emergency response to traffic situations by
clearing incidents quickly and safely. Scout manages traffic on more than 160 miles of continuous freeways in the greater
Kansas City metropolitan area.
Learn more about KC Scout at http://www.kcscout.net.
Follow KC Scout on twitter at twitter.com/kansascityscout,
or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KansasCityScout.