During the last few months, as I traveled around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I had the opportunity to observe several of the local fire and EMS departments operating on the public roadway. One thing in particular stuck out in my mind as key to the safety of these departments: the need to be seen. Let me explain.

Whether it’s day or night, you can actually see some departments’ personnel operating in the roadway long before you arrive on the scene. Fire, EMS and sometimes even police personnel wear traffic safety vests so there’s no mistake that someone is standing in the roadway.

Compare this to some other departments (mine included) whose trucks you see parked in the road with all the lights flashing. You know something’s going on, but you can’t see anyone until you’re right up on them. These guys wear that dark, dirty bunker gear with the NFPA-complaint-at-the-time-of-purchase reflective striping that has been worn out from heat exposure; on some, the reflective stripe is torn off completely. I'll say it—I've almost hit one of you/us, and I drive through every scene with caution, slowing down way beyond what Texas law requires. On one occasion, I was driving about 10 mph and giving a wide berth. There was a guy standing in the center median (scene was off to the right shoulder). I didn’t see him until I was almost right on top of him.

Getting into the placement of apparatus at the scene is beyond the scope of this Note. Here’s what I’m asking: Provide your crew with quality traffic safety vests. They cost anywhere from $5–$30. Get an ANSI 107-1999-compliant Class 2 vest as a minimum, Class 3 preferably. I found them online for $20.

The most important thing: Make your personnel wear them! Whatever it takes. Thirty lashes with a wet noodle; dishes and toilets for 10 shifts; steak, ice cream and cake the next five meetings; reprimands...you get the picture.

For more information, check out www.respondersafety.com.