We here at the Emergency Response Safety Institute (ERSI) have been laboring in the vineyard of highway safety for a nearly a decade now.  One of our major projects has involved developing of an increased awareness within the fire, police, and emergency service world of the importance of being seen while we are operating out there on the highways and byways of the world.

I believe that we have succeeded to some degree.  Steve Austin has led the charge to create a designated Public Safety High-Visibility vest that meets the needs of operational personnel, as well as the appropriate federal regulations.  A great deal of our time, talent, and efforts has been devoted to a public relation's effort on the upcoming requirement for our emergency workers to wear compliant high-visibility vests while operating on all highways funded by federal money.

The feedback we have been receiving has led us to believe that we are having an impact.  Our outreach program has appeared at each of the major fire service conferences for many years now.  People with whom we have met have come to embrace our passion about keeping people safe on the highways.

We have worked diligently to make people aware of the proper use of reflective vests.  Many questions have revolved around the problems which people felt would come from wearing these vests while combating fire in highway settings.  Our educational effort has taught that these vests should not been worn while personnel are actively combating a fire on the highway.

One key part of our educational effort has noted the distinction between firefighting and on-firefighting situations.  Once the fire is extinguished, the members of the team should don their reflective vests.  All other personnel involved in the extrication, police, and EMS segments of the operation should be wearing the vests from the beginning of the operation. Read our News Page to learn how we addressed this issue in a public comment made to the Federal Highway Administration.

We unequivocally support the new federal rule. The mainstream position is there is insufficient florescent background on the turnout gear to meet the requirements of the federal rule. Simply put you can’t be compliant without and ANSI 107 or 207 garments.

Our efforts are making great progress. We’ve dealt with a bump in the road placed there by commercial interests who made a push to portray particular personal protective equipment (PPE) as having sufficient reflective capabilities to be as visible as turnout gear and a vest.

Thanks to Chief Don Konkle and the firefighters at the Harrisburg PA Bureau of Fire we produced Be Right, Be Bright. Take a few minutes to view it on our Home Page. Here’s a scoop; you’ll be able to download it for yourself next week!

As an association, we have hoped to avoid any sort of controversy in regard to the need for high visibility garments for personnel operating on the highways of our nation. We have reached out to the other side in this issue.  We are working to build bridges of understanding.

My friends, your opinion is important to us because our primary purpose here at Respondersafety.com is to create an awareness of what it takes to achieve a safer working environment during highway operations.  We urge you to come to us with your questions.

Our Director of Training, Jack Sullivan is the point person for all matters regarding high visibility vests, the federal rule, and the revisions to the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

We have a boat load of information on our News Page and in our Training Downloads about high visibility. If you still can’t find your answer fire off an email to [email protected] or simply click on the Contact us tab.

There are no hidden agendas here at Respondersafety.com; the sole reason we exist is stated in our motto.  *Respondersafety.com On the Highway we’ve Got Your Back. *