Towing & Recovery

Towing and recovery professionals work emergency scenes on the roadway both as a single unit and as part of a multi-agency response. In all situations, traffic control is necessary for the safety of towing and recovery personnel working that incident and should be established before operations begin. These resources assist towing and recovery professionals in establishing the policies, procedures, and training necessary to implement traffic control at every roadway incident response scene.

Overview of Roadway Incident Safety Practices

• Roadway Incident Safety for Emergency Responders — Quick Start Resource: An overview of what to do to protect emergency personnel operating in or near moving traffic at roadway incidents and core elements of a roadway incident safety program.

TIM Certification

• Certified Traffic Incident Management Person: Available from the Fire Department Safety Officers Association. Exam study materials available on ResponderSafety.com

TIM Certificates

• National TIM Training Certificate: Available online from The Responder Safety Learning Network

Additional Responder Safety & TIM Online Training Modules

• 40+ online training modules available The Responder Safety Learning Network. Modules of particular interest to towing and recovery:

  • Advance Warning

  • Blocking Procedures at Roadway Incidents

  • Fire Service Collaboration with Towing and Recovery Operations

  • The First 15 Minutes at Roadway Incidents

  • Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incidents

  • Special Hazards

  • Understanding NFPA 1091

  • Who’s In Charge at Roadway Incident

Roll Calls, Safety Breaks, and Training Rotations

• Videos — Roadway Safety Shorts

• Lesson Plans and Videos — Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Packages (includes TIM In A Minute videos)

• Training Plans — National Traffic Incident Response Awareness Week

• Training Plans — Rural Roads

Emergency Vehicles & Lighting

• Online Training Module — High Visibility Innovations

• Online Training Module — See and Be Seen: Emergency Lighting Awareness

• Online Training Module — New Technologies in Emergency Vehicle Lighting

• Emergency Lighting Research Initiative

• Report — Impacts of Emergency Vehicle Marking Color, Patterns and Retroreflectivity on Safety-Related Driver Responses: Study Report

• Report — Effects of Emergency Vehicle Lighting Characteristics on Driver Perception and Behavior: Study Report

• Report — Hardening Blocking Vehicles for Traffic Incidents and Planned Special Events. Report of Workshop Proceedings. Emergency Responder Safety Institute.

• Report — Study of Protecting Emergency Responders on the Highways and Operation of Emergency Vehicles: A Review of First Responder Agencies Who Have Adopted Emergency Lighting and Vehicle Conspicuity Technology. Emergency Responder Safety Institute. Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association.

• Video — Marked and Seen

• Additional Resources — Vehicle Emergency Lighting and Markings

Helmets & Head Protection

• Online Training Module — Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incidents

• Helmets & Head Protection Initiative

Public Education

• Videos — PSAs

• Online Training Module — Strategies for Public Outreach

• Additional Resources — Public Education

• Additional Resources — Safety Education Materials

Resources for Specific Roles

• For Leadership

• For Instructors

• For Towing & Recovery Professionals