ITS World Congress in Detroit Highlights Traffic Incident Management

The 2014 ITS World Congress, hosted by ITS America in conjunction with ERTICO – ITS Europe and ITS Asia-Pacific, will be hosted in Detroit, Michigan this September 7-11. Each year, the World Congress rotates around the globe: last year it was held in Tokyo, Japan and next year Bordeaux, France will host the leading international experts on ITS. As the World Congress prepares to welcome the world to the Motor City, 10,000 transportation professionals, engineers, planners, business leaders, innovators, elected officials and public agency representatives eagerly look forward to what the event will entail. Discussions will cover everything from connected and automated (driverless) vehicles, to big data and mobility, to safety and sustainability, taking a deeper look at the cameras, message boards, vehicle detection systems, transportation operation centers, and other technologies that continue to make driving safer for all.
But this year’s World Congress also takes a look at another aspect of ITS – emergency response. ITS America recognizes that cutting-edge ITS is key to a successful future in emergency response and is dedicating Tuesday, September 9 as Emergency Responders (ER) Day at the ITS World Congress.
ER Day is our showcase of the latest and greatest in emergency response technology, including a special live demonstration of a mock emergency incident. Best of all, admission is offered free for first responders who attend in uniform (or agency shirts)!
Registration at Cobo Arena begins at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, with the formal program beginning at a 9 a.m. welcome session.
The day kicks off with an executive panel discussion to introduce how ITS is used in emergency response – ITS 101, if you will. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration will host a special session on implementing Traffic Incident Management training to improve safety and mobility on a national scale. The technically-minded will want to check out a rundown of new research into Metropolitan Area Emergency Management. Another session will provide a continuing look at Resilience in ITS during emergencies, providing an updated look at a topic we covered at last year’s World Congress in Tokyo. We will next lead responders on a guided tour of our expansive exhibit hall, highlighting groundbreaking technologies and processes that have already proven successful, or hold the potential to revolutionize emergency response in the future.
After that comes the main event! Catch a shuttle out to Belle Isle for a mock crash involving a passenger vehicle and a tanker carrying hazardous materials. See how ITS can help make incident detection, validation, response, and recovery better. Coordinated emergency response saves lives, saves time, and saves money. Other ITS technologies will also be demonstrated on Belle Isle during this time.
On the ride out to the site, ITS technologies will be used to notify attendees of the environment up ahead. Once you arrive, you’ll get an up-close, 360-degree look as first responders arrive on scene, set up a mobile command post, evacuate the “injured” drivers, and safely clear the incident.
After the demo, ER Day wraps up with The Flavor of Michigan at the historic Belle Isle Casino, hosted by ITS Michigan. Come partake of wine, beer, food, and music from the Great Lakes State while you network with other ITS professionals.