Dallas ‘blockers' add accident scene safety

Dallas Fire Rescue is taking new steps to boost safety at freeway accident scenes for first responders and other drivers.

More ‘blocker’ vehicles are being added to take the force of secondary collisions.

“Motorists travel at a high rate so speed. We may have curves. We may have elevated roadways where there’s not a lot of warning that an accident has occurred,” Assistant Dallas Fire Chief Daniel Salazar said.

Dallas Firefighter Scott Tanksley was knocked off one of those elevated roadways to his death in icy weather nine years ago.

Dallas Police Officer Mitchell Penton was killed in a Central Expressway accident two years ago.

These are just two examples of fatalities at Dallas accident scenes.

“The number one priority on any scene is safety, safety for our first responders, and safety for the residents of Dallas.” Dallas Fire-Rescue Captain Rob Borse said.

Dallas launched the blocker program with three old fire engines that are no longer helpful for front-line service.

They were stripped of most equipment, filled with sand in the water tank, and posted with lighted arrow signs on the sides to alert drivers.

“We can angle park. That way they can block two lanes of traffic if need be,” Salazar said.

One of the first three was wrecked in an accident, and another no longer operates, so just one of the first three blockers is available today.

"We would prefer that a non-front line piece of equipment takes that secondary impact if one occurs. It’s not just the cost. It impacts our ability to provide emergency services to the citizens of Dallas if we lose that front-line piece of equipment," Borse said.

Now, the city has used a state grant to equip three less expensive trucks with so-called “scorpion” fold-down equipment on the back.  The scorpion equipment is more accessible to replace, but the new vehicles can not block multiple traffic lanes.

“While it can only block one lane, it’s is easier to get, and it is a much cheaper piece of equipment,” Borse said.

With the new additions, Dallas will have four blockers positioned about the city next week.

Even more would be better.

“It’s a large city,” Salazar said. “It’s a lot of ground to cover.”

The Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee heard about the blocker program on November 13.

“So, we have to keep working on funding, both state level, ask DPS, when it’s a highway, that they come out with a blocker,” Committee Chairperson Cara Mendelsohn said.

The Texas Department of Transportation has scorpion trucks, and other agencies have some.

They’ve often been part of road construction or maintenance. They may soon become more visible at Dallas accident scenes.