POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Tri-Rail, along with multiple other local agencies, held a planned simulation Wednesday to ensure they are ready for any possibility that may arise.
“This is a very important day for Tri-Rail,” said Executive Director Steven Abrams. “Nothing beats actually simulating actual conditions as realistically as possible.”
Tri-Rail, along with Pompano Beach Fire Rescue, hosted the multi-agency mass casualty incident training exercise. “The possibility of this scenario happening is extremely real,” said Pompano Beach Fire Rescue Training Commander Don Desmond. “It has happened and will happen again.”
“They’ve done simulations rescuing passengers, a fire in the engine, hazmat, we [even] had a trauma hawk coming in,” said Abrams.
The drill simulated a train derailment where a Tri-Rail passenger train had struck a vehicle. Volunteers took the roles of passengers who were extricated, treated and transported. All moments that would have occurred during a real-life scenario.
“We asked for volunteers from the community and the SERT team responded, and like I said, we wanted to make it as realistic as possible so to have those actual volunteers taking the roles as riders on our trains and getting pulled off because of this simulated emergency makes all the difference in the world,” said Abrams.
Eight other nearby agencies across Broward County took part in the drill. “We need to be prepared in this day and age for anything that can happen on our tracks,” said Abrams.
Despite the simulation training responders for the worst, Abrams said traveling by train is the safest form of transportation.
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