Traffic Incident Management
Traffic incident management (TIM) is one of several successful proactive programs designed to assist our regional TMCs with
incident management and surface transportation–related activities throughout South Florida.
Mission: Develop recommendations that will provide a safe, efficient, and appropriate multiagency RESPONSE
to traffic incidents through timely and accurate DETECTION AND VERIFICATION.
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), traffic incident management is the planned and coordinated program process
to detect, respond to, and remove traffic incidents, restoring traffic capacity as safely and quickly as possible. This coordinated
process involves a number of public and private sector partners, including the following agencies and services:
- Law enforcement
- Emergency management
- Fire and rescue
- Towing and recovery
- Emergency medical services
- Hazardous materials contractors
- Transportation
- Traffic information media
- Public safety communications
The TIM protocol brings together various agencies responsible for responding to incidents. They address issues that arise as a
result of the diverse institutional functions and individual agency goals. The multi-agency TIM partners meet bimonthly in Broward
County to provide, discuss, and improve operational services related to incident management.
Teams
Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Team brings together the various agencies responsible for responding to incidents and
addresses the issues that arise as a result of the diverse institutional functions and individual agency goals.
TIM is one of several current District 4 ITS programs designed to assist the TMC and enhance incident management activities
throughout District 4. Facilitated by the consultant Project Manager, the multi-agency TIM partners meet bi-monthly in Broward and
Palm Beach Counties to provide, discuss, and improve operational services related to incident management.
Mission: Provide efficient, coordinated, and consistent traffic incident management across the state
that will improve the safety and reliability of the transportation network.
Vision: Develop an
institutionally integrated, fully cooperative association of all public agency and private industry traffic incident management
stakeholders to improve the safety and reliability of the Florida Transportation system and maintain Florida's status as a national
leader in TIM programs.
Defining communication protocols is one of the major issues faced by incident management teams; communication with each other on
the scene, communication from the scene to the TMC, the media, and other interested parties, and communication to the public.
Incident clearance is the process of removing wreckage, debris, or any other element that disrupts the normal flow of traffic or
forces lane closures, and restoring the roadway capacity to its pre-incident condition. At times, this may also include temporary or
permanent repair to the infrastructure.
The uniform training of all incident responders is essential to meeting overall incident management goals. All responders to
traffic incidents must be trained in open roads policies, traffic control, quick clearance techniques, and unified incident
command.
Incident verification entails confirming that an incident has occurred, determining its exact location, and obtaining as many
relevant details about the incident as possible in order to dispatch the proper initial response. Incident verification is
generally complete with the arrival of the first responders on the scene.
Incident response includes dispatching the appropriate personnel and equipment, and activating the appropriate communication
links and motorist information media as soon as there is reasonable certainty that an incident has occurred.
Reference Links for TIM Agencies:
Open Roads Policy (.pdf)
Spill Cleanup Guidelines (.pdf)
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Meetings
Broward TIM Meeting
Located at the SMART SunGuide Broward TMC
2nd floor conference room
2300 West Commercial Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 847-2785
Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
November 5, 2008
January 7, 2009
March 4, 2009
Palm Beach TIM Meeting
Located at the Palm Beach Vista Center
3rd floor conference room
2300 North Jog Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33411
(954) 847-2785
Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
December 2, 2008
February 3, 2009
April 7, 2009
Click here to see all of the previous TIM meeting agendas and minutes.
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