21 October 2008
Train Safety Tested
About 50 firefighters from Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge,
CP
Police, and crew took part in a mock disaster at the intermodal
yard in Pitt Meadows on Saturday to keep their skills
sharp.
Pitt Meadows British Columbia - If a disaster hit the
West Coast Express, special training would be needed to deal with the large number of people involved - hundreds of victims and dozens
of emergency response personnel.
In an annual event, which takes place at different West Coast Express locations, 50 firefighters, CP Police, and crew took part in a
mock disaster at the intermodal yard in Pitt Meadows on Saturday to keep their skills sharp and "plan for the unthinkable",
said Drew Snider, public information officer for TransLink.
After three hours of classroom time reviewing drills and procedures - crowd control, management of the disaster scene - the
firefighters and CP personnel took part in the one-hour mock disaster.
Not only do emergency personnel have to deal with a larger number of people, they have to know how to get around large diesel
locomotives and passenger cars and deal with high-voltage electrical issues, Snider said.
They also need to learn what the access points to the community are, and how they would manage in a situation they don't come across
in their day-to-day work.
The mock disaster is organized every year by CP Rail and West Coast Express.
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