This week (November 14-18, 2022) is Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW), and firefighters and paramedics are urging the public to use extreme caution while driving near traffic accidents.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, this initiative is designed to raise public awareness and help keep firefighters, paramedics, and other roadway responders and the public safe.

Firefighters and paramedics work tirelessly to save lives at traffic incident scenes as safely and quickly as possible. Sadly, this dangerous work claims the life of nearly one first responder each week in the United States. Many more sustain life-altering injuries while responding to traffic accidents.

The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) is urging motorists to do their part to protect themselves and responders by slowing down, moving over, and staying alert when approaching traffic incidents.

“Firefighters and other emergency responders are on our highways to serve the public and keep us all safe, and they deserve to go home to their families unharmed. With this Crash Responder Safety Week let us all commit to a safer work environment for our fire fighters and travelers,” says IAFF General President Edward Kelly.

Responders are also encouraged to stay updated on best practices for staying safe. This national event promotes Slow Down, Move Over law awareness for motorists and free Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training for responders.