Emergency Response Drills At Riverside's New Metrolink Station

As part of the Federal Railroad Administration's approval process for the upcoming launch of service on the 91/Perris Valley Line, Metrolink and Riverside County authorities will held an emergency preparedness drill on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at the soon-to-be opened Moreno Valley/March Field Station. Volunteers were present for both cycles of training playing various roles. Fire authorities conducted a hands-on victim removal simulation relating to a collision resulting in multiple victims on board. Law enforcement conducted a walk thru of the train's interior to identify choke points, hiding spots and danger zones for officer safety. This was NOT an active shooter scenario. Metrolink, in partnership with the Riverside County Transportation Commission, the City of Riverside Fire Department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, and the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, held a multi-jurisdictional emergency preparedness drill. “This is the culminating event to more than a year of emergency response planning and training in preparation for the extension of Metrolink's 91/Perris Valley Line from downtown Riverside to south Perris,” Scott Johnson, Metrolink asst. public affairs officer. Emergency response planning for the service expansion began in late 2014 with a table top drill being conducted in February 2015. Four classes were held Oct. 28-30 at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside with a total of 127 fire fighters and 46 deputies from respective law enforcement and first responder agencies. Additional training was provided to 40 fire fighters and three Riverside County Sheriff's deputies from Jurupa Valley on Sunday, Nov. 1. The recent attacks at San Bernardino’s Inland Regional Center demonstrated the need for emergency practice drills. The practice drills in San Bernardino helped seven different agencies that responding to the attacks work together flawlessly. “Areas reviewed at all training sessions included an overview of Metrolink service, how to develop a pre-plan for respective organizations, familiarization with Metrolink passenger cars and locomotives, and how to safely address an emergency involving passenger rail,” said Johnson. “As part of the Federal Railroad Administration's code for passenger train emergency preparedness, Metrolink is held the drill and training as one of numerous steps in the FRA's approval process for opening a commuter rail line,” Johnson. Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service in its 23rd year of operation. The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, governs the service. Metrolink operates over seven routes through a six-county, 512 route-mile network. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles and the eighth largest based on annual ridership. Passenger service to Perris is scheduled to begin early next year.