Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) will take place across the United States from November 18-22, 2024.
The annual event will bring together fire, EMS, rescue, law enforcement, and transportation sectors to raise public awareness about safe driving near incident scenes.
This year’s theme, “Responders Ahead! Reduce Your Speed As You Proceed,” calls on drivers to slow down and stay alert to help protect emergency responders and other road users.
According to the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), CRSW is an opportunity for traffic incident management (TIM) professionals to reinforce safety protocols and educate the public on the importance of responsible driving near crash scenes.
TIM training resources will be available to departments across the country to prepare for CRSW, including guidance for spreading the “slow down, move over” message to communities nationwide.
To launch CRSW, the Federal Highway Administration’s Traffic Incident Management Program will host a National Kickoff Webinar on November 18 at 1 p.m. ET.
This webinar will feature messages from TIM leaders and responders, acknowledging their critical work on roadways and reinforcing this year’s safety goals.
During the webinar, TIM community members and other organizations can sign the National CRSW Proclamation, underscoring their commitment to traffic incident safety.
This virtual event is expected to set the tone for the week’s activities, and registration is currently open on the FHWA CRSW website for all interested participants.
The CRSW Outreach Toolkit offers a variety of resources to help responders and organizations prepare for the week, including templates for press releases, social media content, and video scripts.
As departments gear up for CRSW, they can leverage these materials to plan local campaigns aimed at educating drivers about the importance of slowing down, moving over, and staying focused when approaching incident scenes.
The toolkit also provides sample messaging to support social media campaigns throughout the week, with each day focusing on a specific theme related to responder and roadway safety.
TIM communities nationwide are encouraged to use these resources to maximize public outreach and promote safer driving behaviors.
In the lead-up to CRSW, state and local agencies are engaging in All-State Planning Webinars to discuss their strategies for the event and coordinate efforts across regions.
Led by the FHWA TIM Program team, these webinars allow responders to share best practices, including hosting mass training sessions and public awareness initiatives to reinforce CRSW’s safety themes.
Each participating state will highlight its CRSW plans, which may include on-the-ground events such as roadway demonstrations, public messaging on changeable signs, and outreach at visitor centers.
TIM community members are invited to participate actively in these sessions to ensure a unified approach to CRSW and its message of traffic incident safety.
As the U.S. prepares for Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) from November 18-22, public safety and transportation agencies are gearing up to raise awareness about safe driving practices near traffic incidents.
With the theme, “Responders Ahead! Reduce Your Speed As You Proceed,” CRSW 2024 will focus on improving driver awareness and safety around emergency responders.
A kickoff webinar hosted by the Federal Highway Administration’s TIM Program on November 18 will set the stage for the week, inviting participants to pledge support for responder safety.
The CRSW Outreach Toolkit is available to responders to help plan public messaging campaigns, while All-State Planning Webinars are helping coordinate efforts at the state and local levels.
