The report, released on April 26, goes into substantial detail, but here is a summary of the primary recommendations:
1. All FHP policy related to traffic control should be clearly documented under one section within the FHP Policy Manual. Rather than suggesting “guidelines,” the policies should specify mandatory protocols to be followed during all incidents that affect traffic flow and roadway safety.
2. Florida’s public roadway signage should be evaluated for its ability to appropriately warn travelers of conditions that might impact visibility.
3. FHP should conduct an internal inquiry to clarify the conflict in sworn testimony provided by Sgt. Bruce Simmons and Capt. Coby Fincher regarding their meeting on Jan. 31, 2012.
Here are the eight specific findings and recommendations:
Finding 1
The FHP Communications Center failed to adequately relay information received from the Florida Forest Service regarding the Paynes Prairie fire. This led to the premature closing of the Paynes Prairie fire incident in the FHP Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and resulted in incomplete and inaccurate information being provided to FHP field personnel throughout the night. Subsequently, U.S. 441 and Interstate 75 were not effectively monitored for visibility throughout the night, as requested by FFS.
Recommendation 1: FHP should maintain a list of
