DOT offers first responders training on how to safely respond to roadside emergencies
NEWINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — There are hundreds of deaths on Connecticut roads every year, according to the Department of Transportation. It's why the state agency is providing training for first responders on how they can safely respond to roadside emergencies.
The six-hour training session is held twice a month at DOT's Newington headquarters. Once completed, first responders will receive their Traffic Incident Management (TIM) certification.
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From 2020 to 2022, the DOT says there were over 2,500 work zone crashes and 10 deaths. Coordinator Aidan Neely said the goal is to prevent additional deaths on Connecticut roadways.
'We've had such a tremendous loss last year of first responders getting hit struck and killed. We don't want to see that. We want everyone to be able to go home at the end of the day,' he said.
Everyone from police to towers is learning about how to respond to roadside incidents quickly and safely.
Plainville firefighters Emma Donovan and Deanna Wynne said they are exposed to dangerous conditions daily.
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'We actually had a car that went rogue when the cops were blocking, and it was terrifying. We were a car length away and it could have been so bad. I think it's just so important to be super, super up to date,' Donovan said.
'Sometimes there's not enough people to manage the traffic, so that's where the scary situations come in, so even just having a little more knowledge … it always helps,' Wynne said.
While staff have eyes on the roads 24/7 through their nearly 400 traffic cameras, they continue to urge drivers to respect roadside crews.
'They are the lifeline to tell people that there's something up ahead that they need to be prepared for, slow down for and move over,' Neely said.
DOT officials said over the past two years, over 6,400 first responders have received their traffic incident management certification. They said they will be holding plenty more sessions throughout the year.
Anyone interested in attending the training program can e-mail Aidan Neely at aidan.neely@ct.gov.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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