5/28/08 EIIP Virtual Forum Transcript: Emergency Transportation Operations Update Amy Sebring: Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone. On behalf of Avagene and myself, welcome to the Virtual Forum! We are glad you could join us today. Amy Sebring: As you know, the official start of hurricane season is upon us which involves a number of transportation related issues. During September 2006 we presented a session which focused on evacuation planning with the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Transportation Operations (ETO) Team. Amy Sebring: There is a link on today's Background Page to that earlier program. Since that session, the ETO has accomplished a great deal in terms of planning and guidance, and we decided it was time for an update. Amy Sebring: A theme that runs through all these efforts is the need for regional coordination between emergency management and transportation professionals, so we have a new poll on our home page, "Do you coordinate with regional transportation planners?" (Yes, No, Who?). Amy Sebring: This is an unscientific poll, but if you have not voted yet, please do so later. You can also see the results thus far. Amy Sebring: I will introduce our speaker in just a moment, but first, for the benefit of our first-timers, we will go over the order of business. We will begin with a presentation and then we will proceed to your questions and comments. Amy Sebring: We will provide further instructions just before we begin the Q&A section. You may want to begin composing during the presentation, ... Amy Sebring: but we ask you NOT to submit your question or comment until we get to that part of the program, since it is possible that your question will be addressed later in the presentation. Amy Sebring: A formatted transcript of today's session will be available by later this afternoon -- just check back on our home page or the background page (refresh the page if needed). Amy Sebring: Please take a moment after the session to rate this session in terms of usefulness of the information and/or write a short review or post a comment. I will mention more about that in our closing. Amy Sebring: Finally, please do not send private messages to our speakers or the Moderator, as we will be busy with the presentation. If you need assistance, you may send a private message to Avagene. Amy Sebring: Unfortunately, it turned out that Laurel Radow could not be with us today after all. She sends her apologies, however hopefully Kim Vasconez will be able to respond to your questions regarding evacuation or planned special events, or put you in touch with Laurel as needed. Amy Sebring: Kimberly C. Vasconez serves as the Emergency Transportation Operations (ETO) Team Leader in the Office of Operations at USDOT/Federal Highway Administration in Washington, DC. With 19 years of experience in a variety of areas that required a knowledge of emergency transportation and traffic management, ... Amy Sebring: she assumed her current position in late February 2006, after spending one year with FHWA's Office of International Programs as the Global Technology Exchange Team Leader. Ms. Vasconez transferred to FHWA in 2005 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where she served almost 14 years in a variety of capacities. Amy Sebring: At FEMA, she developed the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) capability and managed their use in the field for Hurricane Andrew, Northridge earthquake and Oklahoma City bombing responses. She also developed and managed the Federal Disaster Logistics System, a program that grew from no resources to one averaging $20M per annum. Amy Sebring: Please see the Background Page for further biographical details, and you may want to check out the podcast interview with Kim for additional brief remarks, which is linked from both the Background Page and home page. Amy Sebring: Welcome back Kim, and thank you for being with us today. I now turn the floor over to you to start us off please. Kim Vasconez: Thank you Amy... Kim Vasconez: I apologize, I'm having some difficulties with the mechanics. I will have to type. Amy Sebring: That will not work Kim. Amy Sebring: If you like, I can paste in your remarks. Kim Vasconez: That would be helpful. Thank you! Kim Vasconez: Good afternoon or morning, depending upon where you live! Only two days left until the official start of the 2008 Hurricane season for the Atlantic coastal areas and islands. However, the Hurricane season for the Pacific is already underway. The National Hurricane Center is already sending out notices. Kim Vasconez: I am here to tell you about some exciting new guidance that we've produced through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help State and local jurisdictions develop their disaster plans. Kim Vasconez: In addition to Highway Evacuation and Traffic Planning for Special Events, we also cover Traffic Incident Management, National Incident Management System for transportation professionals, and other disaster and emergency transportation operations planning. Kim Vasconez: Our primary audience comprises representatives from State and local departments of transportations, State Police, Fire and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, and emergency managers. I want you to know that Laurie and I are emergency managers by profession and experience. Kim Vasconez: I had the privilege of speaking on this webinar in September 2006 about the Department of Transportation's Study of Gulf State Evacuation plans. This study was Congressionally-mandated and was conducted in concert with the Department of Homeland Security, which was conducting its own plan review, known as the National Plan Review. Kim Vasconez: Through these efforts, the Federal Highway Administration identified gaps that it could fill that would aid State and local planners improve evacuation and other disaster plans. Kim Vasconez: We hope that you will walk away from this session with knowledge about new planning tools, ideas on how to integrate transportation tools into your response plans and operations, and a renewed commitment to include your DOTs as key planning and operations partners. Kim Vasconez: We will begin this session by talking about a new document that has generated some interest among the emergency management community, specifically "Communicating with the Public Using Advance Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) During a Disaster: A Guide for Practitioners." Kim Vasconez: This document provides advice on using ATIS during disasters and is intended not only for State and local transportation agencies, but for their partners in public safety and emergency management agencies. Kim Vasconez: It offers practical guidance to managers of transportation management centers (or TMCs) and emergency operations centers (EOCs) and related public information officers who may be called on to staff joint information centers during disasters. Kim Vasconez: Advanced Traveler Information Systems, or ATIS, can play an important role in communicating essential information to the public during disasters. Variable message signs (VMS), 511 telephone systems, highway advisory radio (HAR), and websites ... Kim Vasconez: are some of the dissemination devices of systems that collect, process, and disseminate information about travel conditions to the public for day-to-day transportation operations, and these same systems need to be effectively used during disaster situations. Kim Vasconez: The document discusses what we know about human behavior in disaster situations based on findings from several decades of research. That perspective can help in maximizing the effectiveness of traveler information communications. Kim Vasconez: The current use of traveler information in managing normal incidents and planned special events is examined as a starting point for gauging the processes and technologies that are in place today. Kim Vasconez: Five case studies of actual disasters in Georgia, California, Nevada, Utah, and Washington State show the role that traveler information has played in current practice and provide lessons for others. Kim Vasconez: A concept of operations is presented that characterizes the flow of information among the people, organizations, and technologies comprising traveler information dissemination during disasters. To maximize the benefit of ATIS as a tool for communicating with the public during disasters, a local strategy should be developed. Kim Vasconez: A toolkit for organizing and conducting a strategy workshop is provided in this document as a starting point. A workshop that encompasses all the key stakeholders can acquaint them with currently available ATIS assets, potential future enhancements, and each agency's role in ensuring that ATIS is an important tool for helping the public when disaster strikes. Kim Vasconez: Currently, the following areas use ATIS tools for incidents and to manage planned events: o Colorado DOT VMS, HAR, website, 511 o Florida DOT, District 5: VMS, 511, website, wireless devices, radio and television media o Maricopa County DOT Partners with Arizona DOT on use of VMS, 511, and website o Nebraska DOT VMS, 511, website, radio and television media Kim Vasconez: o Oregon DOT: 511, extensive website, radio and television media including cable TV, HAR, VMS, developing application to send information to wireless devices o Texas DOT: HAR, VMS, website, wireless devices, radio and television media, e-mail alerts o Wisconsin DOT Extensive HAR, VMS, radio and television media, website, telephone ATIS Service (800-ROADWIS) Kim Vasconez: The document also includes five case studies demonstrating effective use of ATIS during different types of incidents. They include: South Salt Lake City, Utah (Leaking rail tank car near I-15 & I-80); Rockdale County, Georgia (Warehouse fire involving chlorine product near I-20); ... Kim Vasconez: San Diego County and City, California (Major wildfire known as Cedar Fire); Clark County, Nevada (Snow avalanches in winter resort area and flood in Moapa Valley); and Seattle/Olympia Washington (Nisqually Earthquake [Magnitude 6.8] in Puget Sound Area). Kim Vasconez: In addition, FHWA is working on a project that will demonstrate how to connect and use traffic information gathered at Traffic Management Centers (TMC) within the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Fusion Center (FC) environments. Kim Vasconez: This document will be published in mid-July and will include the type of information available from Intelligent Transportation System feeds into the TMCs, how to package this information for use by the EOC or FC, how to harden ITS equipment to withstand weather or man-made incidents, and training of TMC, EOC and FC plans staff members to be able to integrate and share information among the three facilities. Kim Vasconez: After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many modeling companies approached emergency management agencies claiming that they had a product that was a panacea to evacuation planning. We, at the U.S. DOT, received several inquiries about the products. Kim Vasconez: We felt that rather than develop yet another product that information on the strengths and weaknesses of modeling products would benefit the planning and response communities, and we are finishing an Evacuation Modeling Assessment project. Kim Vasconez: The first part of the project was completed last fall and involves describing the strengths and weaknesses of using decision support models in planning evacuation routes. The next product will include case studies of how these models have been used successfully. It should be available this fall. Kim Vasconez: To be able to capture lessons learned from disaster operations that will support emergency managers, public safety organizations and DOTs, FHWA established an interagency agreement with the USFA. Kim Vasconez: This will be used to conduct joint research and after-action reviews on disasters with significant transportation components where a Traffic Incident response evolved into a disaster response. An example of this type of event would be the Minneapolis bridge collapse. Kim Vasconez: This year, we continued work on our Routes to Effective Evacuations Primer Series, releasing our second document, "Using Highways for No-Notice Evacuations," in January 2008. This follows the release of the "Using Highways during Evacuation Operations for Events with Advance Notice." Kim Vasconez: These primers aid local and State planners maximize the highway network and transportation tools and capabilities in evacuation plans and operations for their communities, States or regions. Kim Vasconez: The third and final installment in the series will focus on Evacuating Populations with Special Mobility Needs. We have a final draft and will release it soon. The final primer will summarize information in the other primers that touch on moving populations with special transportation needs. Kim Vasconez: It will provide findings, lessons learned and best practices that aid in developing evacuation plans for those with special movement requirements, including the elderly, those with medical conditions, transit-dependent populations, pets and service animals, and people being held by law enforcement officials. Kim Vasconez: To support the dissemination of knowledge found in these primers, FHWA continues to conduct a series of Evacuation Workshops. These have been offered in specific regions and are based on invitations to members State DOTs, transit agencies, EMAs, Police and Fire and Rescue services. Kim Vasconez: These workshops teach the material in the primers and use a region specific scenario to talk through how to evacuation populations. Future workshops will also incorporate "Populations with Special Mobility Needs" concerns. Kim Vasconez: In addition, we are producing a training course titled "Principles of Evacuations" that will be available later this year as an on-line course and an automated checklist for evacuations that may be used in the TMC, EOCs or Fusion Centers. Kim Vasconez: We also have several more specialized FHWA-produced documents that you may be interested in. I encourage you to visit our publications Website to see what is available. http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/opssecurity/evac_plan_doc_flyer/index.htm Kim Vasconez: We believe that emergency managers can learn and apply much from FHWA's Traffic Planning for Special Events work. Our philosophy is that the better prepared you are for a planned event, the better prepared you'll be for an unplanned event. You can find the following documents on the website: Kim Vasconez: o Managing Travel for Planned Special Events (PSEs) Executive Summary: This document is for decision makers and senior officials who must be familiar with Planned Special Events (PSEs) and must provide safe travel to and from these events; the value of regional collaboration; ... Kim Vasconez: and the merits of local, county and/or state agencies from transportation, transit, public safety, and private sector partners working together in planning and implementing these events. Drawn in part from the handbook, this summary also covers cost recovery and focuses on the Decision Maker's Responsibility to Community and the Stakeholder Challenges and Goals. Kim Vasconez: o Managing Travel for Planned Special Events (PSEs) Handbook: This handbook presents and recommends policies, regulations, planning and operations processes, impact mitigation strategies, equipment and personnel resources, and technology applications used in the advance planning, management, and monitoring of travel for planned special events. Kim Vasconez: o Planned Special Events: Checklists for Practitioners: These 6 checklists are for event-specific planning for planned special event (PSE) travel management. These checklists follow the order in which the topics are presented in chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the FHWA handbook, Managing Travel for PSEs. Kim Vasconez: Each list provides common, sequential steps for plans and activities that practitioners may use for most significant PSEs, regardless of event area. Kim Vasconez: All of the documents discussed, plus several others of use to disaster planning may be found on a CD that we just released a week ago, titled "The Best of Public Safety and ETO." (Link is on the Background Page.) Kim Vasconez: We have also established an ETO Channel on the DHS Lessoned Learned Information Sharing (LLIS) system. This channel includes not only FHWA publications but a myriad of publications on various ETO topics that were submitted by other Federal, State, tribal, and local departments and agencies. Kim Vasconez: We established this channel to ensure that our publications could be found on sites typically used by our non-traditional partners in emergency management and public safety. Kim Vasconez: We appreciate your interest in this topic and look forward to questions you may have. Amy Sebring: Now, to proceed to your questions or comments. Amy Sebring: Unfortunately we have a technical issue today ... Amy Sebring: and cannot use the Moderation feature... Amy Sebring: so we ask you to enter a question mark .... Amy Sebring: ? Amy Sebring: to get on line with your question.... Amy Sebring: you can start composing once you put in your question mark.... Amy Sebring: but please do NOT hit Enter or Send button until we call on you by name. Amy Sebring: We will take the questions in the order of the question marks. Steve McGee: Is there "DOT connecting" between your effort and U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Next Generation 9-1-1: http://www.e-911ico.gov/ ? Amy Sebring: Kim go ahead and take Steve's question please... Kim Vasconez: Thank you, Amy. Amy Sebring: others, you may enter your question mark at any time. Kim Vasconez: Steve, there is a connection. Many of the products... Kim Vasconez: are done jointly with the ITS group; however, we are starting to explore... Kim Vasconez: the connectivity and use of the NG-911 system with our Traffic Incident Management and... Kim Vasconez: Disaster ETO programs. Amy Sebring: Other questions, comments? Amy Sebring: Please do not be shy, and put in your question mark when you are ready. A Mangeri: ? Amy Sebring: A. Mangeri, when you are ready please. Tucker: ? Ray Pena: ? Amy Sebring: break up your question into parts if you need to A. A Mangeri: Hi Amy and Kim, I have been looking into public transportation planning guidance. I do not know if it comes out of FHWA But what is available and up to date for planning for public transportation Kim Vasconez: We work closely with Federal Transit Administration and can provide you with a list of their publications... Kim Vasconez: They have a very active Emergency Transportation effort... Kim Vasconez: If you can provide me with your email address, I'll get you a contact and list of their publications. Amy Sebring: Kim if you can find a URL, we can put it up. Amy Sebring: Tucker next please. Tucker: Do you have best practices for "credentialing" (ID/badging programs) into a major urban medical area (doctors, nurses, others associated) when masses of people are trying to evacuate. A Mangeri: I am concerned as it relates to evacuation, preparedness and the role of Public Transit in evacuation modeling... Given the value in mass evacuation and route management? Amy Sebring: Let's take Tucker please. Kim Vasconez: Tucker...our group has not dealt with Credentialing for the purposes you are discussing... Kim Vasconez: In my past life with FEMA, I'm very aware of the issue... Kim Vasconez: However, the transportation community is looking at credentialing through a program called SHRP II with the American Association of State Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Transportation Research Board. Amy Sebring: Kim do you want to respond further regarding evacuation modeling aspect of Anthony's reply? Kim Vasconez: Yes... Kim Vasconez: Anthony, we are addressing the modeling tools used for evacuations in the project I described earlier... Kim Vasconez: this also looks at using mass transit... Kim Vasconez: The CD has the first study on it, and the next one may be found on our website in August. Amy Sebring: A note re the CD, I will put up a link for that also in just a moment.... Kim Vasconez: Thanks! Amy Sebring: it appears that the entire CD is now on the Web for access. Amy Sebring: Ray next please. Ray Pena: Thanks. Is there information available about the Evacuation Workshops you mentioned-locations, dates, costs, etc.? Kim Vasconez: I can provide information about the Evacuation Workshops... Kim Vasconez: The next one will be held in Richmond on June 2-3 for Mid-Atlantic and Southeast States in prep for hurricane season 2008... Kim Vasconez: We will be conducting one for the Mid-West States in Chicago in September timeframe and this will deal with hazmat, no-notice evacuations... Kim Vasconez: please contact me if you are not covered or are interested in attending one. Amy Sebring: The link to the CD we have been talking about is http://www.its.dot.gov/its_publicsafety/index.htm Amy Sebring: We will include in the transcript as well. Amy Sebring: Other questions/comments? Avagene Moore: ? Amy Sebring: Ava, when you are ready please. Avagene Moore: With the hurricane season ahead, I am glad to hear about the planning and training on evacuation. However, I read this morning about a community in TX where a large percentage of the public does not want to evacuate primarily because of the traffic jams on evacuation routes. .... Avagene Moore: How much attention is being paid to public education as part of planning for this hurricane season? Kim Vasconez: Good Question... Kim Vasconez: We have monitored evacuation efforts, operations and actions as a part of our day to day jobs... Kim Vasconez: Many State and local jurisdictions are getting the word out that evacuations save lives... Kim Vasconez: However, the reluctance to evacuate is very real... Kim Vasconez: We are talking with FEMA about how to get the word out... Steve McGee: ? Kim Vasconez: FEMA is the lead Federal Agency for mass evacuation and is using our documentation in their planning guidance to State and locals. Amy Sebring: The link I am finding for the Federal Transit Administration and emergency planning is http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Emergency/emerman.asp Amy Sebring: Is this the right one Kim? Amy Sebring: Also http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Emergency/emerman.asp Kim Vasconez: That looks right...however, they have so much more going on, that I would like to put anyone interested in touch with their program managers. Amy Sebring: This is a list of Emergency Management Publications. Amy Sebring: Steve next please. Steve McGee: Have you been leveraging the Boston University's Project Beacon traffic congestion project? The Boston Indicators Project - Research @ Transportation Supported by Northeastern University's Center for Urban Research and Planning. ... system performance including traffic congestion trends in 85 urban areas. ... www.bostonindicators.org/IndicatorsProject/Transportation/Content.aspx?id=800 Kim Vasconez: We are looking at that project as part of our Traffic Incident Management program... Kim Vasconez: Our TIM program is our tie into the USDOT's Congestion Initiative... Amy Sebring: ? Kim Vasconez: Also, one of our program managers is a former State trooper from Massachusetts, so we look at every thing from MA...lol Kim Vasconez: Amy? Amy Sebring: The course you mentioned Kim, Principles of Evacuations, will that be available during this year's hurricane season? Kim Vasconez: Unfortunately, it will not be available this hurricane season.... Kim Vasconez: It is on a fast track for development, but should be ready for post-hurricane season planning efforts. Amy Sebring: Other questions/comments? Can we get some participation from others who have not spoken up yet? Amy Sebring: (In the meantime, I will forge on...) Amy Sebring: Kim, if somebody in a local region wanted to find the right transportation folks to include .... Amy Sebring: in their planning, how should they go about it? Kim Vasconez: Good question...you are right about looking for the right person... Steve Elliott: ? Kim Vasconez: In general, approach the local DOT office and ask for an operations specialist or leadership from a Transportation Management Center. Kim Vasconez: If you don't get the right person, you won't know about the myriad of tools at your disposal... Kim Vasconez: that's what happened to me when I was at FEMA. I didn't learn about all of the capability until I came to USDOT. Amy Sebring: Speaking of which, could you tell us a little more about what resources the Transportation Management Center may have that will be of use? Kim Vasconez: The Transportation Management Center is similar to the Emergency Operations Centers...they have camera feeds into it from the traffic cams... Kim Vasconez: This gives you good ground truth and damage information... Ray Pena: ! Kim Vasconez: Many were upgraded in post 9-11 era with DHS funding to include secure communications and connectivity with EOCs... Kim Vasconez: Many are also integrated the law enforcement computer aided Dispatch systems so that the transportation community has immediate knowledge of a traffic accident and information on police & fire activity... A Mangeri: ? Kim Vasconez: Our new study will outline all of the capabilities. Amy Sebring: Is any progress being made on real time traffic counts during evacuations in terms of technology? Kim Vasconez: There is some modeling and traffic analysis work being done. I will have to get you a status update from the program managers, who do work in our office, the FHWA Office of Operations. Amy Sebring: Thanks. Ray next please. Ray Pena: Comment on Ava's question and Kim's reply-no matter how much education, there will still be people who will stay behind because they see hurricanes as opportunities rather than as hazards. Emergency managers in evacuation situations must assure that the only people left are there of their own volition. Kim Vasconez: Good point,Ray... Kim Vasconez: There was a study published by Harvard University that outlined the reasons for this behavior... Kim Vasconez: You will never get everyone to leave for a variety of reasons, so law enforcement officials and other public safety officials need to focus on helping those that do, even during a mandatory evacuation... Kim Vasconez: We have a link to the Harvard study on our website. Amy Sebring: Anthony next please. A Mangeri: Can you provide some information regarding the integration of ADA requirements and special needs preparedness into transportation evacuation studies. The impact of the ADAG's and best practices? Steve Elliott: ? Kim Vasconez: The next primer that we do focuses on the ADA requirements and will provide good practices and the impact... Kim Vasconez: If you need the document in advance, let me know and I can send you a draft. Amy Sebring: Oops I skipped Steve by accident, even though I wrote his name down! Now please Steve. Steve Elliott: Kim - what did your research find regarding the levels of political cooperation - between large single tier municipalities and neighbouring County governments and/or smaller rural municipalities - when it came to evacuating people on routes through their respective jurisdictions? I suspect its more than just public education and/or exercising. Do the Case Studies look at these issues? Avagene Moore: ? Kim Vasconez: Thanks, Steve... Kim Vasconez: Yes, there are many problems in cooperation at the neighboring jurisdiction and even State levels, as we found following Katrina... Kim Vasconez: One example is when an Amtrak train tried to offload evacuees to a shelter and the jurisdiction wouldn't allow the offload... Kim Vasconez: However, we discuss this and good practices in our primers and the jurisdiction to jurisdiction and State to State cooperation is a large part of our Evacuation workshops. Amy Sebring: Ava next please. Avagene Moore: Follow up to my evacuation question - I can understand reluctance to be part of traffic gridlock in a massive evacuation. Is there reason for the masses to believe that evacuation will be smoother since the Katrina experience? Why? Kim Vasconez: Ava, very good question... Kim Vasconez: During mass evacuations, I cannot say how comfortable or smoother they will be since Katrina... Kim Vasconez: We are working to support FEMA in their efforts to address mass evacuations... Kim Vasconez: However, the good news is that the EXPERTISE on evacuations lies at the local and somewhat at the State levels... Kim Vasconez: most evacuation operations occur for floods, storms, but not tropical storms... Kim Vasconez: Ooops...Fires are the largest causes... Kim Vasconez: but an evacuation of 1,000 or more people happens every 2-3 weeks in this country... Kim Vasconez: The Feds will never be able to improve evacuations dramatically due to our lack of experience vis-a-vis the locals... Kim Vasconez: Which is why we hope to see more peer-to-peer work on this topic and hope to help facilitate it. Amy Sebring: ? Kim Vasconez: Amy? Amy Sebring: Kim, since your last visit you published the Primer on No Notice Event evacuations ... Amy Sebring: can you point out a couple of the highlights of that document and the way it differs from those events with lead times. Amy Sebring: What are key issues, e.g.? Kim Vasconez: Thanks, Amy...no or little notice events cause many challenges... Kim Vasconez: for example planning and decision making lead times are cut dramatically and your first responders--those who carry out the evacuations--may be victims and that won't be known immediately... Avagene Moore: ? Kim Vasconez: Jurisdictions need to weigh the benefits of shelter in place in these situations...for example... Kim Vasconez: aftershocks of earthquakes kill many who are fleeing their homes (e.g., Mexico City study 1985)... Kim Vasconez: These situations require pre-identification of those with special needs and immediate feedback on conditions. Amy Sebring: Last question for today -- Avagene. Avagene Moore: Kim, switching gears a bit: Tennessee law now states we must move over for law enforcement and emergency vehicles on the side of the road. This occurred after a few deadly accidents in our state. Is this aspect of transportation safety a national policy now or does it vary from state to state? Kim Vasconez: Thanks for helping me promote our Traffic Incident Management program, Avagene! Kim Vasconez: States have their own laws for Move Over, Driver Removal, etc. However, we are engaging in a campaign... Kim Vasconez: under our Safe, Quick Clearance project under our TIM program, to get all States to adopt Move Over... Kim Vasconez: This involves changing behaviors since people have been taught to leave their vehicles in the road for insurance purposes and documentation... Kim Vasconez: However, not moving over puts motorists and responders at risk, so we are working with AASHTO and other partners under the National Unified Goal of Traffic Incident Management (TIM) to adopt Move Over. Amy Sebring: I believe it is related but USFA/DOT just announced a recently published Traffic Incident Management Study, (see https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tims_0408.pdf ). Did your program work on that one Kim? Kim Vasconez: Yes we did...actually we paid for the study.... Kim Vasconez: We do work very closely with the USFA on a variety of issues...they are members of our National TIM Coalition. Amy Sebring: Good deal. I wanted to give that one a plug. We have a summary article in our news section. Amy Sebring: Let's wrap it up for today. Thank you very much Kim for an excellent job once again and we appreciate your time and effort. Please stand by just a moment while we make a couple of quick announcements... Kim Vasconez: Thanks you! Amy Sebring: Again, the formatted transcript will be available later today. If you are not on our mailing list and would like to get notices of future sessions and availability of transcripts, just go to our home page to Subscribe. Amy Sebring: Before we adjourn, please take a moment now, or after you review the transcript to Rate today's session and/or write a review or post your comments. You can access the form either from today's Background Page or from our home page. Amy Sebring: If you do not have time to write a short review or comment, then please just take a moment to do the rating. It should take less than a minute, and will assist future visitors to our site to find useful information. Amy Sebring: Please join us next time, Wed. June 11th, when we will focus on the collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service to provide real time hydrological data used to forecast flooding conditions. Amy Sebring: Thanks to everyone for participating today. We stand adjourned but before you go, please help me show our appreciation to Kim for a fine job.