Overview
On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, SafeHighways.org hosted its eighteenth Safety Service Patrol Idea Sharing Network webinar with support from NOCoE. The topic, selected by attendees from the previous session, focused on SSP training and best practices. During this interactive 2-hour session, several industry and SSP professionals shared their expertise on training techniques, including how SSP’s have adapted training due to the pandemic.
The session was moderated by John McClellan, Freeway Operations Supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Transportation and included presentations from guest speakers: Todd Leiss, Traffic Incident Management Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Jack Sullivan, Director of Training of CVVFA Emergency Responders Safety Institute, and John Sullivan, Highway Response Operator Supervisor at Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Speaker Bios:
Todd Leiss (Moderator)
Traffic Incident Management Coordinator - Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
As the Traffic Incident Management Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Todd Leiss is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of traffic incident management projects and programs. He works to reduce non-recurring congestion
and improve mobility along the Pennsylvania Turnpike through traffic incident and emergency management. He has previously worked as a 911 Emergency Dispatcher, an EMT, volunteer firefighter, and Hazardous Materials Team Member. Leiss attended Jacksonville State University.
John McClellan (Moderator)
Freeway Operations Supervisor -Minnesota Department of Transportation
John McClellan is the Freeway Operations Supervisor at MNDOT’s Regional Transportation Management Center (RTMC) in Roseville. John has worked for the DOT since 2002, and got his start in traffic monitoring as the operations supervisor for an advanced traffic
information service from 1998 to 2001. John’s group is responsible for monitoring 450 freeway traffic cameras, deploying overhead signs and ramp meters, as well as dispatching the Freeway Incident Response Safety Team (FIRST).
Jack Sullivan CSP, CFPS (Presenter)
Director of Training, Emergency Responder Safety Institute (ERSI)
A Committee of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association
Jack is a subject matter expert on roadway incident operations and emergency personnel safety and promotes proactive strategies and tactics for protecting emergency workers from being struck by vehicles. He was a volunteer firefighter and chief officer for 23 years and recently retired from a 40-year career as a safety and risk management consultant for the public and private sector. Jack teaches Roadway Incident Safety & Survival Workshops for emergency responders for ERSI and he is a Master Instructor for the FHWA SHRP2 Traffic Incident Management Train-the-Trainer Workshops. Jack is also a Technical Member of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and currently serves as the Chair of the Task Group for Chapter 6i of the MUTCD – “Control of Traffic Through Traffic Incident Management Areas”.
John M. Sullivan (Presenter)
Highway Response Supervisor 1 at the Tennessee Department of Transportation
John is the Highway Response Supervisor for the ‘HELP’ Unit serving Nashville and Middle Tennessee since 1999. Mr. Sullivan is also a Lieutenant FF/EMR with the Pegram Fire Department since 2010, and a National level TIMS, EVOC, FF2, and TARS Vehicle Extrication Instructor. John recently received a meritorious Lifesaving award from TDOT in October 2019, and awarded for most calls answered at Pegram Fire Department in 2017, 2018, and 2019.