The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has taken a pioneering step in enhancing post-crash care on rural highways by launching the nation’s first-ever Post‑Crash Care/First Responder Liaison program in March 2024.
This initiative places a dedicated liaison who collaborates with EMS, fire departments, 911 dispatchers, law enforcement, and other first responders to ensure faster, more coordinated assistance at crash sites. By engaging stakeholders early and consistently in post-crash planning, the program aims to navigate common challenges—from pinpointing remote crash locations and deploying appropriate resources to speeding up victim transport—ultimately saving lives.
Rural roadways present unique obstacles such as undefined crash sites, limited on-scene resources, and long distances to trauma hospitals, but the liaison program addresses these with targeted strategies.
This effort has three focus areas:
- Reducing injuries and fatalities among both responders and crash victims while lowering the risk of secondary accidents
- Improving the speed and safety of care for crash survivors—particularly in rural areas
- Leveraging data by tapping into existing sources and identifying future information needs to drive smarter decision-making and resource allocation.
Recognizing that many rural responders are volunteers, KDOT offers flexible training sessions on safely reporting and managing roadway incidents. These are scheduled during evenings and weekends to accommodate volunteer availability.
For more information on the Post‑Crash Care/First Responder Liaison program, contact to Bill Sullivan at bsullylel@gmail.com.
