New York Operation Lifesaver (NYOL), a non-profit organization and leader of rail safety education, and Buffalo Southern Railroad hosted #STOPTrackTragedies, Mock Crash for Safety, on September 24, which closed out Rail Safety Week.
The mock crash occurred on Buffalo Southern Railroad tracks, where a train crashed into a car containing crash dummies going 25 miles per hour. Police, fire, and EMT were on-site for training simulations following the crash.
“After many long months of planning, we are thrilled to have hosted the #STOPTrackTragedies, Mock Crash for Safety, to demonstrate how dangerous getting stuck on a train track can be,” said Phil Merens, New York Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator. “We are thankful to all the organizations that helped us to put on this event, including local and state police, EMT, and firefighters, who were able to run training exercises that can help response times in the event of an actual emergency.”
Other participating organizations in the mock crash include CSX Transportation, Towne Auto Group, Calspan, Universal Engine, North Collins Fire Company, North Collins Emergency Squad, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, NYS Police, Federal Railroad Administration, and the NYS Department of Transportation.
Operation Lifesaver was founded in 1972 when the average number of collisions at U.S. highway-rail grade crossings had risen above 12,000 incidents yearly, equaling one every 45 minutes. Most people don’t think about the dangers that being on or near railroad tracks can pose, which can result in one wrong decision that could be a person’s last. Operation Lifesaver’s educational programs have helped bring down collisions to one every three hours, about 2,100 incidents yearly, a reduction of over 80%.
