Overview
State and local Traffic Incident Management (TIM) programs cover a broad range of maturity from emerging programs to those that are advanced. The Talking TIM Webinar Series seeks to provide a forum where TIM champions with any level of experience can exchange information about current practices, programs, and technologies. Each month, Talking TIM will highlight successful programs, identify best practices, and showcase technology that advances the profession. The June webinar agenda includes:
- Brief FHWA Introduction & TIM Training Updates – Paul Jodoin and Jim Austrich, FHWA Office of Operations
- Meet the National Executive Leadership Group – Towing and Recovery Association of America Cynthia Martineau, Executive Director and Joanne Blyton, President
- Virtual National TIM Responder Training 4 hour Sessions – Georgia TIM Program, Kevin Smith
- Institutionalization of the TIM Training in Massachusetts - Edward Gincauskis, Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness
- Delaware Valley Regional (Philadelphia area) Planning Commission, TIM Program and Continuation During Social Distancing – Christopher King, Manager, Office of Transportation Operations Management
Speaker bios:
Kevin Smith, Project Manager at Parsons: Kevin Smith worked for 5 years as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter before becoming a police officer. He worked for the Roswell Police Department for 29.5 years, retiring as a Lieutenant/Watch Commander over a Patrol Watch. His responsibilities with Roswell PD include traffic enforcement, motors, fatality crash investigations, and commercial vehicle enforcement. He was a member of the department’s SWAT team (part-time assignment) for 24 years, retiring from that as an Assistant Team Commander.Kevin was involved in Traffic Incident Management for the last 10-15 years as a Traffic Sergeant and Traffic Unit Commander, coordinating special events and developing incident response plans. Kevin has been employed with the ETO Group at Parsons since his retirement from Roswell PD in Sept 2017. He works with GDOT to train HERO (Highway Emergency Response Operators) to work inside the Reversible Lanes systems and coordinate Traffic Incident Management Teams throughout the State.
Christopher King, Manager, Office of Transportation Operations Management DVRPC : Chris King is the Manager of the Office of Transportation Operations Management with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). Throughout his 22 year career at DVRPC, he has promoted planning and interagency coordination on numerous Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO), and Traffic Incident Management projects. Chris has worked closely with all levels of personnel at various transportation agencies, local and county governments, and emergency response organizations. Project management highlights include development and implementation of corridor-based traffic incident management task forces, DVRPC’s Transportation Operations Master Plan, RIMIS (Regional Integrated Multimodal Information Sharing) system and maintaining DVRPC’s Regional ITS Architecture. He is a 2010 graduate of the I-95 Corridor Coalition Operations Academy and member on the Board of Directors for ITS New Jersey and currently serves on their Executive Board as the Secretary.
Joanne Blyton, TRAA President: With over 35 years of experience in the towing industry, Joanne Blyton has served as TRAA’s 1st and 4th Vice President, Legislative Committee Chair and Legislative Advocacy Network®. She currently serves as a member-at-large on the California Tow Truck Association’s Compliance Towing Regulatory Oversight Council and as a member of the Tow Truck Complaint Resolution Committee under the Attorney General’s Office in Montana. She previously served on the Montana House of Representatives and on the Emergency Route Working Group developed under the FAST Act. Joanne was awarded the prestigious WTRAA Tow Woman of the Year in 2013. She has worked diligently for towers through multiple state and local tow truck associations and with various police departments. She and her son, Don Blyton, Jr. own and operate Billings Towing & Recovery in Billings, MT.
Cynthia Martineau, TRAA Executive Director: Cynthia has been involved in many aspects of the towing industry for over 30 years. Her experiences also include: Executive Director of the Statewide Towing Association in MA, Secretary of the Conference of Northeast Towing Associations, board member of the Statewide Towing Academy in MA, Treasurer of the Towing Repair and Collision Political Action Committee, and board member of the TRAA Education Foundation. She also serves as Treasurer for the Woman of the Towing and Recovery Association of America (WTRAA) and formerly served as their Secretary. Cynthia was awarded WTRAA Tow Woman of the Year in 2012, TRAA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2013 and was inducted into the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame in 2018.
Edward Gincauskis, Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness at MaasDOT: Edward leads the Highway Division’s critical infrastructure protection and incident/emergency management initiatives by developing and managing programs to support mitigation, response and recovery for planned and unplanned events. He develops plans, policies and procedures for incidents, and emergency management related items within the Highway Division in line with the core mission of MassDOT. Edward is the Chairman of the Massachusetts Traffic Incident Management Task Force as well as the Commonwealth’s Interagency Notification Task Force; two major state task forces that rely on interagency planning, communication and coordination among local, state, federal and private partners agencies and associations