What kind of first aid training is required of freight and passenger crews?

How about at your tourist railroads? Do they require CPR, etc or ?

Brandi

Good Question. We're beginning an overview of our operations looking towards what we need to do and who to partner with. Considering that our passengers are up there in years, I would think CPR would be a great place to start. Basic first aid should be a must.

Then are there first aid kits on the train and how often are they checked? And what is the sequance of contact once an event happens? And since not all of our track is near public highways, how do we get to the nearest road crossing and does the emergency crews know it by the same name as we use on the railroad?

And what about a derailment. How do we get the passengers back to the station?

These are just some of the questions that we are begining to deal with at the NN Ry. I would be interested in what others are doing.

Some time back, after the head-on incident at National Capital -- oh, this was in 1987 -- the NTSB published a recommendation for TRAIN and ARM to pass on to their members. I was ARM secretary and newsletter editor at the time. It is late, I'm tired, and I don't have time to go searching for the issue we published this in.

The recommendation had four or five items. One of these suggested was have radios to call for assistance (medical, injury, etc.). Another was to have the local emergency responders (fire, police, medical) visit your site sometime prior to the need to become familiar with routes, access, etc.

I will find the recommendation and post it within the next few years. I think it still applies today as it did 20 years ago.

Our operation is small, less than a mile normally, and just over for special occasions. The site is just over 200 acres.

We are entirely inside a regional park, and they provide our first response services (they don't want us to provide additional services, they even station a fire engine on days we host visiting steam...). Our crews have radios on their frequencies to call for help. They also have cell phones.

We do have an evacuation plan, including portable stairs carried on the flat cars we use for passenger service. We have used it. (minor problem, but resources kept it minor.)

The cars carry a first aid kit, but its use (for guests) is limited to band aids for splinters... Anything more is a park response.

We also carry fire extinguishers... this on a horse drawn train, but have used them for non train fires. In addition we started carrying backpack water tanks with hand pumps after a track crew started a very small grass fire along our line... (our crew put it our before anyone responded, good sign, but also a warning)

The local fire station is 200 yards away. They have keys to the site. We have a good informal relationship. The horses seem to understand the red trucks will not eat them... (with horses they judge everything on whether it may or may not eat them)

All of the replies are good ones, and build off of common sense. At IRM we went one step farther and have two AED units, automatic electronic defibrilators. These require training of personnel, but provide one more level of aid in an emergency.

Bob Kutella

Having an AED on board your train, especially if it wanders away from the roadway, can certainly be a life saver. If it is not getting into proprietary information could you give us a range for the cost of a unit and the related training? I am thinking we could apply for a grant this fall and am wondering how much we should be prepared to ask for.

Back when I was Roanoke Chapter NRHS President (and more recently, on the 2005 Shenandoah Valley RR excursions), we always made sure that at least one member of the train crew was a certified EMT, with his/her equipment. We normally had this person stationed near the middle of the train, so they could respond quickly in either direction.

On our New River Train trips we always have at least 5 crews on each trip that consist of a paramedic and emt. We also have a radio command center and evacuation plans in case something happens in the gorge where the radios arent as strong and rail is the only way in and out. Safety is a big priority and there is no doubt in my mind, our group's safety record is big part in why we run excursions every year.

I do not have the cost data, but wonder how it might work on a railcar. In our case they are mounted such that an alarm sounds if it is removed from the charging stand, and if not mistaken auto calls for the closest EMT rescue squad.

Carrying on a railcar defeats that feature and raises the possibility it might not have a full charge when needed.

I would call around for costs since models vary in their cost and features. Also check your state as in Illinois there were mandated requirements.

Bob Kutella

Radios, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers on the train. We are including defibrilators and training our conductors and ticket agents in their use.

dave

All,
While I have not done a survey of state requirements, I think first aid training for conductors, engineers, and any other interested staff should suffice. A basic guideline for "what to do in (insert situation here)" should be known/available as well.
I have many thoughts on this issue, but will not hop up on the soapbox here. Suffice it to say - you can't save people from themselves.
Be safe,
Melanie

Friends of the 261 always carries at least one EMT on the train. The EMT usually addresses cinders in the eye or minor scrapes, bumps or cuts. We also have an AED on-board the train. With the large number of middle-age to senior citizen riders, we felt that the potential for a problem which requires the use of an AED made it necessity. Keeping our riders safe and providing potentially life-saving equipment is a real priority to the organization.

Don C.