Sharing Information between Public Safety and Transportation Agencies for Traffic Incident Management (2004)

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B-1 APPENDIX B AUSTIN,TEXAS, CASE STUDY 1 INTRODUCTION Numerous public safety and transportation agencies in the Austin metropolitan area have operational responsibilities in the context of traffic incident management (TIM). Together, these agencies have initiated a number of planning and sys- tems development initiatives that focus on enhancing response to emergencies and delivery of emergency and transportation services. This section describes the institutional framework that underpins these efforts, as well as the operational roles and responsibilities of each of the involved agencies. The following were the primary contacts for the site sum- marized in this report. Brian D. Burk, P.E. 7901 N. IH 35 Austin, Texas 78753 512.832.7014 512.832.7246 bburk@dot.state.tx.us David Stone, Coordinating Committee Public Safety IT Project Manager (retired) City of Austin, Texas 500 E. Whitestone Blvd # 3834 Cedar Park, Texas 78630 512-413-2828 512-857-0867 david.stone@texas-publicsafety.org 1.1 Institutional Framework 1.1.1 Joint Planning Activities Efforts to enhance coordination of incident management functions in the Austin metropolitan area through the coop- erative development of technology has its origins in the intel- ligent transportation systems (ITS) early deployment plan (EDP) that was jointly sponsored by FHWA, TxDOT, and the City of Austin Public Works. The EDP included both short-term and long-term objectives for developing and imple- menting ITS technologies throughout the metropolitan Austin area, including initiatives to enhance incident management and emergency operations. A significant outcome of the EDP was a memorandum-of-understanding (MOU) that was exe- cuted by TxDOT and the City of Austin Public Works. Doc- umented in the MOU were policy statements that outlined the agencies’ commitment to • Cooperate in the planning and development of a regional public safety wireless emergency communica- tions system, • Provide appropriate staff to cooperate with staff desig- nated by other governmental entities to develop plans for a unified public safety communications system and center, • Jointly apply for funding from whatever source of funds may be available for cooperative intergovernmental projects (including federal, state, local, or private grants funding), and • Provide necessary information to management and sup- port policy decisions needed to develop such systems. In addition, the need to integrate transportation and public data and communications was outlined in the IH-35 Corridor Plan that was prepared in February of 1998. 1.1.2 Joint Development and Procurement of Technology Pursuant to laying the groundwork through joint planning activities, TxDOT and the city of Austin are actively engaged in the development of technological systems to support TIM functions. Central to these efforts is the development of the Combined Transportation, Emergency, and Communications Center (CTECC). The CTECC will house a collection of sys- tems referred to as 911 RDMT, including 911 call handling, radio trunking, computer-aided dispatch, mobile data termi- nals, automatic vehicle location, and transportation and tran- sit services. The goal of CTECC is to integrate public safety, ITS management, and public service operations and systems. It is anticipated that the CTECC will be operational in Octo- ber 2003. Another significant effort related to this initiative that will foster information sharing between transportation and public safety agencies is the integration of the city of Austin’s CAD system with TxDOT’s advanced traffic management system (ATMS). This system will provide the technological basis to manage multimodal and multiagency emergencies ranging from automobile crashes to major disasters. 1.2 Roles and Responsibilities 1.2.1 TxDOT TxDOT is committed to supporting a number of TIM func- tions in Austin, from within the operations center and at the

incident scene. TxDOT has responded to the need to man- age traffic both during the incident and during normal oper- ations through the ATMS that was developed internally and deployed in other TxDOT regions throughout the state. The ATMS is intended to provide automation and decision sup- port for traffic management center (TMC) operations. The ATMS includes three operational components that provide the functionality to support TIM: • Incident Detection—Loop detectors that continuously monitored traffic flow are embedded in the pavement throughout the freeway network. When the flow reaches a predetermined threshold set by the system administra- tor, the ATMS notifies the operator of a potential incident. Other detection methods that were used by the operator include calls from service patrol operators in the field, telephone calls from the police, or (on rare occasions) monitors showing closed-circuit television (CCTV). • Incident Assessment—After detecting an incident, the operator in the TMC assesses the situation to ascertain the most appropriate action to take. The assessment and reporting function of TxDOT’s ATMS affords opera- tors in the TMC two options for monitoring roadway conditions: (1) with a graphical display of the level of service for any segment on the roadway that is equipped with detectors and (2) with CCTVs. • Traffic Management—Three types of devices are used in the Austin metropolitan area to support traffic man- agement functions, lane control signals (LCSs), dynamic message signs (DMSs) and ramp metering stations. Each of the components is controlled through the ATMS. To support incident management operations at the scene, TxDOT also operates two courtesy patrols during the week- days between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. It is important to note that ser- vice patrols only operate on I-35 during peak periods. Typical duties of the service patrol operators include removing debris, assisting motorists with broken down vehicles, assisting Austin Police Department (Austin PD) with traffic manage- ment, and helping to move and operate TxDOT equipment. Additionally, TxDOT also supports TIM functions through the dissemination of traveler information. A highway advi- sory radio (HAR) system is used to alert travelers of delays and closures. This system includes three HAR stations, which also support TxDOT’s Amber Alert system. Messages on the HAR system are updated daily except during emergencies, when updates are dictated by the prevailing circumstances. TxDOT also shares video feeds with the media from CCTVs implemented throughout the network of freeway network in Austin. Cameras are selected by the media with TxDOT assis- tance. In exchange for video feeds, television stations pro- vide in-kind services such as weather data and public service announcements (PSAs) for TxDOT. B-2 1.2.2 City of Austin Police Department In the state of Texas, local police agencies are responsible for responding to traffic incidents that occur on the freeway system within the city limits. In the context of TIM, Austin PD operational responsibilities include controlling traffic, conducting crash investigations, providing assistance with containment of hazardous materials spills, and supporting traffic management activities during special events. 1.2.3 City of Austin Fire Department The Austin Fire Department (Austin FD) plays a critical role in supporting TIM functions, including • Fire suppression; • Extraction and rescue of crash victims from the vehicle; • Containment and assistance with clean-up of hazardous materials spills, including chemical spills, gas leaks, and other situations involving hazardous materials; and • First response to all advanced life support emergencies within the city of Austin. 1.2.4 Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) The Austin-Travis County EMS Department is the primary provider for medical rescue within the city of Austin and Travis County. To support TIM functions, the department operates 21 paramedic ambulances, 5 paramedic rescue ambu- lances, 1 tactical paramedic rescue ambulance, 1 shock/trauma air rescue helicopter (STARFlight) and four command units that are equipped with advanced life support (ALS). 2 INFORMATION-SHARING METHODS Several public safety and transportation agencies are in the process of upgrading, replacing, and integrating communi- cations and data systems. Descried below are the current voice, data, and multimedia information-sharing methods, as well as methods that will be operational with the completion of the new CTECC, which is scheduled for October 2003. 2.1 Face-to-Face When completed, co-location in the new CTECC will pro- vide responders from the various agencies with the opportu- nity to communicate face-to-face while cooperatively man- aging incidents. Responders believe that it will be necessary to establish operational procedures for interagency commu- nications (face-to-face and remote voice) to efficiently man- age incidents.

2.2 Remote Voice To coordinate response activities, the operator in the TxDOT operations center currently must rely on the telephone to communicate with the Austin PD dispatcher. This require- ment has not proven to be consistently effective during emer- gency operations because the dispatcher many times is unable to communicate with TxDOT operations staff because of the increased workload that the emergency presents. To support center-to-vehicle communications, TxDOT ser- vice patrols are equipped with Austin PD radios. This enables the Austin PD communications officer in the dispatch center with the ability to directly dispatch the service patrol. In addi- tion, having the service patrols equipped with the Austin PD mobile radio unit enables the service patrol operator to com- municate with Austin PD patrol officers in the field. However, most of the communications in the field are conducted face-to- face at the incident scene. Service patrol operators and TxDOT communications officers in the center are also equipped with scanners that allow them to monitor radio traffic and pro- actively respond to incidents. 2.3 Text Transfer To support the exchange of incident-related data, TxDOT and the city of Austin have initiated efforts to integrate a CAD system with TxDOT’s ATMS. When implemented, the CAD-ATMS interface will provide TxDOT with additional incident information from the Austin/Travis County CAD system. This interface will help supplement the ATMS where surveillance functions have yet to be implemented. At a minimum, the interface will include an address or latitude/ B-3 longitude coordinates and the nature of the incident that are entered into the CAD system. In addition, the integration of the CAD system and ATMS will provide TxDOT with the ability to archive incident data. Data generated through the CAD system will be filtered prior to being communicated to TxDOT to ensure that sensitive data are kept internal to the police department. From the perspective of the city of Austin, this integration project will serve as a conduit to TxDOT-generated data, including road closure and real-time speed data that will sup- port real-time dynamic routing of responders. In addition, this project will provide the city of Austin with incident infor- mation that has not been available before. In the future, TxDOT would like to implement police mobile data terminals (MDTs) in the service patrol vehicles to help prevent service patrol operators from inadvertently providing service to a stolen vehicle or from placing the oper- ator in any other potentially dangerous situation. Efforts are also underway to integrate the city of Austin’s signal system, including video, with TxDOT ATMS. Addi- tional ITS integration projects are underway to integrate TxDOT ATMS with adjacent jurisdictional CAD systems of Round Rock and Williamson County. 2.4 Other Media and Advanced Methods Completion of the new CTECC will enable Austin PD dis- patchers to view monitors showing CCTV images. This will help dispatchers to initiate the most appropriate response. Dispatchers will have control of the cameras when TxDOT personnel are not present. These communications will be addressed in joint operational procedures that still need to be refined further.