Innovating safety: Allegheny National Forest

Swift action is taken by Allegheny National Forest staff to mitigate the reported hazards at Twin Lakes Recreation Area. (USDA Forest Service photo by Joshua Bridge)

As an employer of thousands of field-going personnel, such as wildland firefighters, law enforcement officers, and forestry technicians, the USDA Forest Service prioritizes the safety of its staff and the public. Working in nontraditional environments comes with job hazards including falling trees, venomous wildlife, exposure to extreme heat and smoke, and other physical dangers. Effective communication is essential in ensuring best safety practices are maintained.

Allegheny National Forest was recently recognized for its innovative safety communication solutions with the 2024 Eastern Region Unit Safety Award. The forest's safety committee and a multidisciplinary team of specialists collaborated to create convenient tools to assist staff in reporting and mitigating hazards, connecting them with critical resources during emergency incidents, and highlight roadwork and closures. All three tools are mobile web applications.

The "Field Resource Safety Report," designed by forest staff, was built with ArcGIS Survey123. Staff use the survey to report hazards encountered in the field, such as downed trees and power lines, gas well leaks, dump sites, and gate issues. The brief survey then autogenerates a comprehensive report that is delivered by email to the appropriate contact for optimal response time.

Fiscal year 2024 was the first full year of the report's implementation, and it was a great success. Staff submitted 72 hazard reports; of those, 66 hazards were mitigated within the year. Employees say they feel better equipped and informed to aid in hazard mitigation.

Allegheny National Forest staff report down trees and powerlines at Twin Lakes Recreation Area. (USDA Forest Service photo by Joshua Bridge)

The Allegheny also developed and implemented the "Allegheny NF-Locator Map." This application connects employees and local emergency personnel with critical resources during emergency incidents. The easily searchable map includes need-to-know information including road names, radio frequencies, and emergency medical resources.

The Allegheny has a huge road system compared to other forests, and the map has proven to be a routine asset for support services. For example, staff have used the application to help members of the public who have gotten vehicles stuck and need to be towed.

Finally, forest staff produced a "Road Activity Viewer." This web application was designed to show active road construction and timber haul operations. This information is periodically updated by engineers and timber sale administrators, accompanied by an automatic weekly email sent to all staff for situational awareness.

A report of flooding at Bear Creek allows appropriate notification of hazardous road conditions in the Allegheny National Forest. (USDA Forest Service photo)

In addition to the above tools, forest staff established a trip reporting system for staff to check in and check out while in the field. Now that the agency has released an official check in and out program, the forest has been identified as a "power user" with one of the highest user rates across the Forest Service. As the program continues to improve, the Allegheny contributes meaningful feedback to improve the program.

Each of these advancements was tailored to meet the specifications and needs of the forest's safety goals. The implementation and success of these programs displays the Allegheny National Forest's commitment to improving health, safety, and access for staff and visitors.