MOTORWAY PROCEDURES

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MOTORWAY PROCEDURES
A Presentation by Firefighter Green 30/11/2005
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AIMS

• CURRENT HISTORY/ BACKGROUND.
• GENERAL LOCATION/ OVERVIEW.
• OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.

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BACKGROUND

• Motorway n Brit, Austral, NZ a dual
  carriageway for fast moving traffic, with no
  stopping permitted and no cross roads.

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BACKGROUND

• Motorways generally consist of a multi-lane
  carriageway in each direction being separated by
  a central reservation.
• On the nearside of each carriageway runs a hard
  shoulder, which is used for vehicles that
  require to stop for emergency/ breakdown reasons.

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BACKGROUND

• Emergency crossings
• U turns are strictly prohibited on motorways.
  Emergency crossings will only be used at a major
  incident where the traffic is stopped in both
  directions and the Police are present to control
  the crossing.

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BACKGROUND

• Communications
• Emergency telephones _at_ 1.5 kilometre intervals.
• Sited in pairs, opposite each other on each side
  of carriage way.
• they should all have identity numbers, these can
  be used to report location of the incident.

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BACKGROUND

• The Home Counties of Bedfordshire,
  Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire could be
  described broadly as traditionally prosperous.
  They combine a wide range of industrial and
  commercial activity with their function as homes
  for commuting to the magnet of London.
  Nevertheless, they have a predominantly rural
  appearance, with 38 per cent of the area in Green
  Belt.

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ATTENDANCE OF APPLIANCE

• Initial attendance to an incident on a motorway
  will be TWO pumping appliances.
• ONE pump deployed to each carriage way. (one of
  which will be a rescue pump, when called to an
  R.T.A

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ATTENDANCE OF APPLIANCE

• R.T.A ( one pump must be a rescue pump)
• ONE pump to the affected carriage way.
• ONE pump to the cover lane.
• ONE officer (STN O/ ADO).
• Inform divisional officer.

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OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
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INCIDENTS ON MOTORWAYS

• The following information should be ascertained
  if possible to determine location of incident.
• Carriageway or number of road involved.
• Number of nearest marker post and/ or emergency
  telephone, on motorway.
• Nearest access point.

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APPROACHING THE INCIDENT

• The approach by appliances arriving at the
  incident should be slow and controlled for the
  following reasons
• Weather conditions and visibility.
• Road conditions.
• Obstacles and debris.
• Casualties wandering around in a dazed state.
• Build up of traffic due to the accident.
• If appropriate, to drop off a crew member to
  place signage.

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SIGNAGE

• The police are normally in attendance. They
  should have placed the accident signs and cones
  in the appropriate positions.
• However if the fire brigade arrives first, the
  continued safety of crews and protection of the
  incident is vital.

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SIGNAGE

• By arrangement with chief constables, many
  brigades carry POLICE ACCIDENT signs.
• It should ideally be placed 900 METRES before the
  incident. Usually this is not feasible due to
  lack of manpower so the recommended minimum
  distance is 400 METRES.

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SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

• appropriate protective clothing is worn, e.g.
  Hi- viz clothing, surgical gloves, etc.
• the crew to dismount on the safe side- away
  from traffic.
• Crew members to adopt the correct coning
  procedure.
• Everyone stays within the cones and avoids other
  lanes.

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POSITIONING OF APPLIANCES

• The normal position would be 25 METRES before the
  incident at a shallow angle to fend off
  approaching traffic.
• The appliance should remain within the confines
  of the lane affected. This position should give a
  certain degree of protection from other road
  users to personnel and casualties.

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POSITIONING OF APPLIANCES

• The exact location of the protecting appliances
  should be dictated by the location of the working
  crews to release casualties.
• The hard shoulder should be kept free of vehicles
  where possible both in front and adjacent to the
  accident scene, thus providing a running lane for
  all emergency vehicles.
• If emergency vehicles need to park on the hard
  shoulder they should park well forward of the
  incident.

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SCENE SAFETY AND CONING OFF PROCEDURES
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CONING OFF PROCEDURE

• Crew members must adopt the correct coning off
  procedure
• must face oncoming traffic
• Walk back approximately 8 PACES then 1.5 PACES to
  the side to set down the cone.

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POSITIONING OF APPLIANCES
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LANE (1) INCIDENT
25 METRES




125 METRES
CENTRAL RESERVATION
HARD SHOULDER
LANE (2)
LANE (3)
LANE (1)
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LANE(2) INCIDENT
50 METRES
225 METRES
LANE (1)
CENTRAL RESERVATION
HARD SHOULDER
LANE (2)
LANE (3)
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LANE (2) INCIDENT AND 2- LANE INCIDENT
50 METRES




225 METRES
CENTRAL RESERVATION
HARD SHOULDER
LANE (2)
LANE (3)
LANE (1)
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LANE(3) INCIDENT
25 METRES
125 METRES
POLICE ACCIDENT
LANE (1)
CENTRAL RESERVATION
HARD SHOULDER
LANE (2)
LANE (3)
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3- LANE INCIDENT
50 METRES




325 METRES
CENTRAL RESERVATION
HARD SHOULDER
LANE (2)
LANE (3)
LANE (1)
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3- LANE INCIDENT
25 METRES
50 METRES




325 METRES
CENTRAL RESERVATION
HARD SHOULDER
LANE (2)
LANE (3)
LANE (1)
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WATER SUPPLIES
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OPERATIONAL COMMAND FOLDER. (IN THE FRONT CAB.)
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INFORMATION

• OC 31/1 MOTORWAY PROCEDURES
• OPS COMMAND FILE
• PHASE ONE FIREFIGHTER DEVELOPMENT (R.T.A
  HANDBOOK)
• VARIOUS WEBSITES.

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THE END
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QUESTIONS