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 WSOR News Archive Wisconsin & Southern Emergency Awareness Training in Walworth County On Monday October 16, 2006, the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. (WSOR) and over 90 Walworth County area firefighters participated in a 3-hour training event to promote railway safety and enhanced awareness of emergency situations. A representative from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was in attendance to observe the training session and to address any comments the participants had. Topics covered were: Operation Lifesaver’s message about highway-rail grade crossing safety for emergency responders, as well as safety around railroad tracks and equipment, handling of hazardous materials by rail, emergency contact information, stopping trains and locomotive emergency response. A 30-minute video, courtesy of the FRA’s research and development office, showed efficient methods for use in extricating crew members from damaged locomotives in train wrecks. The classroom portion of the training was followed by a hands-on portion which included a WSOR locomotive and two rail cars. The firefighters were able to spend some time walking around the equipment, including inside the cab of the locomotive. Transportation officers Steve Wallender, Steve Beske, and Dennis Prescott were on hand to answer questions and guide the groups of emergency responders during the hands-on part of the evening. The Delavan Police Chief was very complimentary about WSOR’s training program. An outstanding team effort was made by WSOR; especially in the areas of dispatch, customer service, participating transportation managers and the train crew who brought the equipment to Delavan. The result was a successful in-depth training session for firefighters that could help ensure safety of train crews, firefighters and the public if a train disaster were to happen. The WSOR would like to thank the Federal Railroad Administration for their interest in fostering local initiatives that promote railroad safety and special thanks goes to all the emergency responders who participated and made this event a success. |