The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)’s Incident Response Team is a major tool used to help keep traffic moving safely, especially during large events such as the World Cup.
The Northwest Region’s Incident Response Team, made up of 30 drivers and two supervisors, covers a significant area — from the Canadian border along the I-5 corridor down to the King and Pierce County line. The team is consistently active on the roadways, driving up to 200 miles in a single shift, looking for incidents and responding to dispatches from the Washington State Patrol.
The Incident Response Team (IRT) vehicles respond to anything from major crashes and animals out on the roads to breakdowns and debris calls.
In 2025, the team responded to 30,000 calls for service. This year, the team has already handled roughly 16,500 calls from the beginning of January to June 26.
That includes more than 1,500 abandoned vehicles, 2,500 collisions, more than 7,500 disabled vehicles, 1,820 debris calls, and more.
Dennis Smith, Superintendent of the Northwest Region’s WSDOT Incident Response Team, explained the team’s crucial role.
“We are DOT’s first line of defense when it comes to finding these crashes. We’re strictly out there being proactive for anything that’s going to create a blockage or slow down commuters,” Smith said.
The team strategically stages its crews to minimize response times.
“Prior to a call even coming out, we have our crews staged in strategic locations,” Smith said. “We use our engineers and our TMCs to analyze crash data. And where we see the most crashes, we try to park just upstream from that so that when that crash inevitably does happen, we can respond quicker than if we were south of that crash because those minutes add up, especially when there’s lives on the line.”
Being first on the scene means the Incident Response Team often provides initial aid. Smith highlighted the life-preserving efforts of his crew. The trucks are stocked with first aid kits and tourniquets, and they are able to provide life-saving measures until the medical professionals arrive.
But working on busy roadways carries significant risks for the team.
In 2023, nearly a quarter of Smith’s team members were hit by a vehicle, and several were injured.
KIRO 7 was able to do a ride-along with Smith on Friday, during one of the World Cup matches in Seattle. During the ride-along, a vehicle stopped directly in front of the team instead of moving over, illustrating common challenges.
Smith said, “We do have finite resources, you know. We’re maxing out as many people as we can during the shifts for the World Cup, and we’re combating just gridlock traffic trying to get to places, so we’re not just putting the lights and sirens on for no reason just to skip traffic; we’re actively trying to help someone.”
The World Cup adds pressure on an already-busy traffic system, which means responding to an incident quickly becomes that much more important. Some incidents can affect thousands by creating heavy traffic backups, so IRT helps reduce those impacts by getting to the scene, coordinating with partners such as the Washington State Patrol, and helping reopen lanes as safely and quickly as possible.
Smith shared his perspective on the motorists they encounter and the public’s view of their work. He also wants the public to have a better idea of what it is they do.
“Every person that we’re contacting is having their worst day, whether it’s like a 16-year-old kid with their first flat tire and their parents aren’t answering the phone or an 80-year-old couple crying because they’re lost trying to get to the VA,” Smith said. “While we’re trying to focus on them on the shoulder, all these vehicles are blowing by us, really not thinking about what we’re doing. They might just see another maintenance truck or another DOT truck on the shoulder. But there’s a bigger picture.”
He also has a message for the public.
“If you see us, maybe just give us a break. And if you do break down on one of these major corridors, don’t sit in your car for four or five hours without water or a phone. Call 911, and someone’s going to come, whether it’s my IRT team or a state trooper. Don’t feel like you’re in this alone,” Smith said. “We’re out here actively looking for you. But if we don’t find you, just give us a call, and then we’ll come.”