Background

Typically, statewide ITS Strategic Plans support companion Highway Safety Plans, with ITS Strategic Plans focused on technology applications for transportation operations safety, efficiency and economy. While many states and some metropolitan regions have formalized ITS Strategic Plans, few identify specific or detailed public safety components directed at technologies for public safety as these relate to emergency response and emergency responder needs. Emergency response needs extend across the elements of major incidents and events including their precise identification, followed by the coordination of multidiscipline and multiagency responders.

In keeping with its charter of promoting technology for public safety, TSAG has an inherent interest in identifying and advancing public safety technologies' best practices and technology deployment models, both toward promoting public safety technology applications on a national scale.

ITS Strategies for Public Safety

Through this project, TSAG proposes to advance a national dialogue of ITS Strategies for Public Safety, and through such a dialogue, promote the identification of ITS technologies that address emergency response and emergency responder needs. Through a three tiered approach, the project will identify best practices and model plans and programs for the deployment of proven and emerging technologies for incident response and management; and from findings, pursue a knowledge transfer campaign to create a broad awareness of proven strategies, best practices, and model deployments; and finally, promote a nationally based ITS Strategies for Public Safety program and implementation guide.