Transportation and Emergency Services: Identifying Critical Interfaces, Obstacles, and Opportunities

Abstract

Transportation and emergency services agencies have many shared and overlapping responsibilities in myriad situations, ranging from routine traffic incidents to large-scale events that threaten public health and safety. The importance of effective coordination among these groups is heightened by the need to improve highway operations, ensure homeland security, and enhance all-hazards emergency management. Research was done to identify and evaluate the underlying obstacles and opportunities for improving coordination among highway transportation and emergency services organizations. Institutional, operational, technological, and financial factors were considered. Most findings and conclusions are based on a survey administered to transportation and emergency services professionals in five states. On the basis of the survey results and subsequent focus group discussions, recommendations are offered for short-term improvement of emergency transportation operations and for additional research.