Step Back, Doors Opening
Emergency Preparedness
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As we are getting ready to open the Silver Line Extension, we’re hard at work making sure the new stations and rail yard are well-equipped with tools and knowledgeable staff members to help in the unlikely event of an emergency. Fire safety features are standard in all stations, with fire alarms, sprinklers, fire standpipes, and public address systems installed and undergoing testing in each of the six new stations.
We’re excited to share a glimpse behind the scenes of this week’s full-scale emergency drill conducted at Ashburn Station!
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Making Tracks
Emergency Preparedness Training by the Numbers
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Metro emergency response staff and our regional partners are informed and ready to keep riders safe. Check out the stats on our training efforts so far!
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- 2 years of meetings, scenario planning, and drills
- 110 participants in operations-based exercises
- 24 organizations/ departments represented in safety discussions
- 1 severe weather workshop
- 3 exercises planned at stations for first responders
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Next Stop...!
Continued Coordination with Regional Partners
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First responders are true heroes in an emergency situation! To ensure they’re prepared, Metro provides intensive training for local fire and police department partners, including simulated, real-life scenarios in a controlled environment. They also allow Metro, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), and other jurisdictional partners the opportunity to coordinate in an exercise environment well before rail service begins operating on the extension. On Wednesday, August 17th, first responders from MWAA Fire and Rescue Department, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, and Loudoun Fire Rescue participated in a safety briefing and drill as part of coordination preparations for the opening of the Silver Line Extension. The training covers all aspects of the station and tracks, including the station area, inside the tunnels, at ground level, and on elevated tracks. First responders receive special instruction regarding how to navigate Metro’s electrified third rail (which powers the railcars), converging tunnels and tracks, warning strobes and alarm devices, and the evacuation of passengers from Metrorail cars.
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Countdown to Opening Day
Silver Line Extension Emergency Preparedness Training
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Last month, Metro hosted the first of three emergency preparedness drills at Washington Dulles International Airport Station. Ninety-nine representatives from multiple jurisdictions, including 55 first responders, participated in a guided station walkthrough with facilitated scenario discussions and response drills.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office also demonstrated drone operations by flying four drones in and around the station. Drones, or unmanned aerial devices, are a cutting-edge technology that can be used to surveil crowds from above or locations that would otherwise be difficult or dangerous to observe by a human on the ground. Additional emergency preparedness drills will continue over the coming months to ensure that Metro employees and our regional partners are prepared for anything that could happen, starting on day one.
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