Here we are in the midst of the holiday season. All of the joy we feel in our hearts in being shared with our friends and families as we the arrival of Christmas. Like people the world over we are living busy lives trying to accomplish a wide variety of tasks. We are working hard to catch up, or maybe get a little ahead so that we can enjoy some quality time with our families. Like many of you, I am an active responder with my local volunteer fire department. In the midst of our joyous holiday preparations, life goes on and we must continue responding to the emergencies in our communities as they occur.

The Adelphia Fire Company has been really busy this year. We are on line for a record number of responses. I was speaking with Steve Austin the other day and he indicated that the ambulances in his community will be responding to nearly 7,000 calls for assistance this year. While we are no where near that number of calls here in my community, we are on the road more than ever before.

When you compare the busy nature of our emergency service world with the hubbub of the holiday season, you have a recipe for tragedy. You are moving quickly to accomplish your emergency service missions. At the same time the citizens around you are moving at breakneck speed to be sure that all of the gifts are bought and the food is ready.

All it takes is for one person not to pay attention to what they are doing. Maybe it is a father racing from store to store to get that one last toy. Maybe it is someone's child coming home from a holiday party. At the same time they are racing around, you are out on the highway doing your job. Maybe it is a traffic stop, or a minor motor vehicle accident, or perhaps a car fire out on the state highway.

The ingredients are all there for a tragedy. I ask you quite simply, are you doing all that you can to prevent your people from being struck by an errant motorist. Far too many of our troops operate as though they were under a bubble created by the Almighty Himself. They act as though the whole world knows why they are on the road.

To that citizen wrapped up in their holiday errands, you may be just one more nuisance in there way as they strive valiantly to make each of their holiday shopping stops. They might be talking on a cell phone, touching up their lipstick, or checking their shopping list.

It might even be that they have had a few drinks at one party and are on their way to another. You never know. All it takes is one moment for them to take their eyes off of the road and wham! You become a highway "struck-by" statistic. Give your troops the gift of safety this year. Be sure that they have the proper tools and training to operate on the highways of your community. Here are some tips from our own Larry Glick who is affiliated with the International Tactical Officers Training Association:

• Do not step out of your police car (or fire vehicle or EMS unit) during an accident or vehicle stop and be oblivious to oncoming traffic.
• Even if you are aware of the traffic in your vicinity, do not step out of your police vehicle (or fire or EMS) with a high visibility traffic vest.
• Do not be too macho or proud to wear high visibility garments 100% of the time.
• We can reduce officer vehicle related deaths if we change the way we think about operating on the highways of our communities.

We here at Respondersafety.com com join with the ITITA and ask you all to please take time this coming year to review your risk management plan for vehicle operations. Develop a policy for mandatory seat belt use. Enforce your existing policy for seat belt use. Develop a policy for mandatory wear of traffic safety vests. Enforce your existing policy for mandatory wear of traffic safety vests.

The best way to insure that your people are ready is to train them and equip them to operate safely on the highway. Please use the resources which are available on this website. Thank you and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.