Commuter Train MCI's

[x635 4,066]

Just looking through some of the articles regarding the collision between a Los Angeles Metrolink commuter train and freight train on Friday, which resulted in 25 deaths and numerous injuries, many of them critical.

It seems like California always gets hit with these gigantic disasters. But, as always, it seems like they were well prepared, and their comprehensive ICS. MCI, and task force concepts worked well considering the carnage, as well as all agencies working together.

With so many Metro North commuter trains packed each day traveling through the northern suburbs, I wonder if a similar incident (and I hope one doesn't happen), if this could be handled with the same efficiency as it was on Friday. During the LA incident, the agencies were still holding their own by responding to other 911 calls including fires. I wonder if this area could absorb such a disaster without stripping coverage from vast areas?

I'm sure you'll see articles in many magazines in the months to come, this is definetly one to learn from.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I wonder if a similar incident (and I hope one doesn't happen), if this could be handled with the same efficiency as it was on Friday. During the LA incident, the agencies were still holding their own by responding to other 911 calls including fires. I wonder if this area could absorb such a disaster without stripping coverage from vast areas?

This isn't a slight or any bash intended just honest opinion...but I don't think so and highly doubt it. It would depend on what locality, time of day, etc. While drills are held by Metro North along their system, I honestly don't think the majority of them in certain localities accurately, nor adequately reflect on their capabilities and system. They tend to be on Saturday's and through the preparation process departments stack apparatus with people and plan ahead of time who will be doing what. How is that going to help or allow a real like experience. Throw in Wed. at 11 am...whatever apparatus can get out, whatever ambulances can get out, toss in mulitple if not a plethra of POV's in areas that often are traffic nightmares at rush hours to begin with and you'll see how coordinated and efficient it just might be. Not to mention that the drills are often at stations...do one in the middle of 2 stations along the upper sections of the Hudson route where walking time etc. will be a factor.

With that said...the drills are planned very well...I'm just more into getting as truly an accurate depiction of response to an incident if your doing a hands on drill of such.

[ajsbear 11]

I remember a train collision in Mt Vernon in '73. It happened between 6 a 7 PM on a weekday near the Mt Vernon East station. Then the station was on Prospect Ave. One train rear ended the other. We had mutual aid ambulances from all over and the city was covered. Of course we did not have the traffic we have today but the train was pretty crowded if I remember.

[Danger 160]

I was thinking about this. It seems like they had ICS and staging set up so quickly, plus 28 helicopters which I don't think is possible here. Throw in that a few cars will probably end up in the Hudson on a derailment....Cross your fingers and start some large scale planning.

[FFPCogs 863]

I would have to say that yes, time of day and municipality(s) involved would be a factor in any response. Keeping that in mind I would also have to say that I'm sure ALL responders arriving at such an incident would do their absolute best to mitigate the disaster.

Personally I believe that any such incident would be resolved with the utmost professionalism and dedication just as they always have been. Would mistakes be made..I would bet on it, especially as the incident develops and communications break down. Since MCIs are not a normal part of most departments responses most would be "flying by the seat of their pants" to some extent... as we all know drills and reality can be very different things. I think the largest factor is not so much how many responders, where they are from or are they volly or career...no I think the most important factor is the professionalism of the responders themselves. Professionals will approach the scene for what it is, rely on whatever training they have to make judgements and decisions to take action, and then go about doing it....(including most importantly ensuring the proper resources are there or on the way). Professionals will transfer command when necessary or prudent, and remain calm in the face of overwhemling circumstances while working diligently and safely to save as many as possible.

Obviously some departments have better resources immediately available, and career depts would most likely have more manpower available initially, and these factors will determine to an extent the outcome. But even some (if not most) paid departments along the NYC commuter rail systems in NY, CT and NJ would be initially overwhelmed by such an incident. We here in the Northeast are generally behind our West coast brothers when it comes to ICS and interoperability, but I am sure we here would handle any such incident to the best of our abilities...because we have to.

The only thing that will help prepare us is to train as best we can to face MCIs. Any department out there has the potential to face an incident no matter how rural, (school bus accidents come to mind), so we should all be doing a minimum of MCI training (say 3-4 drills a year). For those with a higher, more diverse potential our training should reflect this as well. Since communications would be a major factor, then we should be doing all we can to work out any glitches BEFORE they happen for real..here again is where professionalism comes in even before the incident. For me I am fan of more regionalized training, incorporating as many departments as possible in a variety of disciplines.

I would hope that many departments have learned since 9/11 that we are all dependent on one another exponentially as incidents grow larger. Departments out in CA have traditionally worked well together, because they have a history of large scale cooperative operations due to the huge wildfires and very real potential of earthquakes they regularly face. We here could definitely learn a thing or two about these types of larger scale operations from our West coast colleagues...even if only from a logistical standpoint.

I've been overseas for a while so I may be out of touch, (and maybe this is another topic) but here's an important question I think should direct any department in our post 9/11 world. Does your department have a specific protocol(s) for reponding to large scale incidents? If so what do they cover both incoming and outgoing, local? regional? statewide? or for that matter national? Not to get off track but I believe we in the fire service need to sit down and develop definitive response protocols (and training) on a national and regional scale to deal with future large disasters either natural or man made to better serve our citizens. Or maybe I'm just crazy... .

Cogs