WASHINGTON, April 22, 2009 - At its March business meeting, the Transportation Safety Advancement Group (TSAG) elected two new members to fill vacancies in its Law Enforcement and Academic & Research interest communities. TSAG Chair Dia Gainor noted that in adding these members, pursuit of the TSAG purpose and mission is greatly strengthened. Chair Gainor reported that at its March business meeting TSAG members ratified the nominations of Sergeant Dan Dytchkowskyj, Erie County (NY) Sheriff's Office, and Thomas West, Director of the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT), to serve two-year terms.

Sgt. Dytchkowskyj has been with the Erie County Sheriff's Office for seven years where he supports its emergency management programs. He has a diverse and accomplished background spanning over 20-years, with a special focus in law enforcement, emergency medical services and hazardous materials management. Through his appointment to TSAG, Sgt. Dytchkowskyj will represent the National Sheriffs Association and its interests in technologies for public safety programs.

Tom West has been involved in Intelligent Transportation System research and deployment since 1987. He is Director of the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) at the University of California, Berkeley. CCIT has been chartered to implement new and emerging technologies for transportation and to facilitate partnerships between researchers, transportation agencies, and private industry. CCIT coordinates plans for deploying new technologies and promising transportation innovations.

The Transportation Safety Advancement Group is an assembly of multi-discipline professionals sharing a common concern for transportation and public safety. TSAG is dedicated to enhancing traveler safety on our nation's roadways through the application of advanced technologies and the promotion of inter-discipline and inter-agency cooperation. Members represent specific transportation and public safety communities, including Emergency Communications, Fire & Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, Transportation Operations, Technology & Telematics, Emergency Management, and Academic & Research. Through its work, TSAG serves as a forum for providing technologies for public safety guidance to the US Department of Transportation, ITS Joint Program Office. The ITS Joint Program Office serves as the principal guide on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) applications for transportation operations and management and on transportation safety technology policy.

TSAG is administered by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), representing more than 400 member organizations including public agencies, private corporations, and academic institutions involved in the research, development, and deployment of technologies that improve safety, increase mobility, and sustain the environment. www.itsa.org

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