Regional Incident Management Group to Improve Responder, Driver Safety

Incident-related congestion contributes to 60% of all roadway congestion in the Central Oklahoma area.

In an effort to promote safer roadways, we have joined with first responders and state transportation agencies to form a committee to address incident management in our area.

ACOG hosted the first meeting of the Central Oklahoma Traffic Incident Management Effort, or COTIME, on August 14. This 18 member committee, comprised of representatives from local police, fire and ambulance services, Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Wrecker’s Association, emergency managers and 911 dispatch trainers will be looking at ways to promote traveler and first responder safety through encouraging the quick clearance of non-injury roadway crashes, reducing congestion and creating safer roadways for drivers.

“This organization is taking steps in the right direction to [keep]our troopers and first responders safe at the scene of a crash and to cut down on the amount of time we spend at a crash,” said Maj. Barry Ross, OHP. “I think there is nothing but good that can come from all of us working together and figuring out what our roles and responsibilities are.”

The Federal Highway Administration, in partnership with the National Traffic Incident Management Coalition, is encouraging the top 40 most congested cities in the U.S. to establish an incident management group. While Oklahoma City falls just outside the top 40 we believe that taking the initiative and working alongside first responders will improve incident related congestion, crashes and injuries.

“This is something we have been working on since 2003 and now is the time to get on board with the Federal Highway Administration and the programs they are pushing out to our agencies,” said Oklahoma County Sheriff and COTIME Vice-Chair John Whetsel.