Union Pacific Railroad and Metra on Nov. 11, announced that the Cary, Crystal Lake, Elmhurst, Geneva, Lake Forest, Palatine and South Chicago Heights police departments will receive funding to enhance their respective communities’ understanding of railroad safety.
In all, $15,000 was distributed at Metra’s Board of Directors meeting to representatives of the seven communities to support youth education activities, school or community safety days, community safety blitzes, grade crossing educational enforcement activities and railroad safety advocacy.
“Union Pacific is proud to support these communities for taking ownership of railroad safety by developing unique education, enforcement and outreach plans that work best to educate the citizens in their communities about issues most relevant to them,” said Adrian Guerrero, Union Pacific’s director of public affairs.
“Safety is our number one priority at Metra – and our commitment to safety influences everything we do,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “Working together with our railroad partners, our goal is to reach as many of people as we can with messages about the importance of being safe at rail crossings and on railroad property.”
In October, Union Pacific launched a new safety campaign exclusively on social media, urging drivers and pedestrians to think about their personal safety first and wait at grade crossings. Videos depict different scenarios in which a jogger, young couple and father and son are stopped, waiting for a train to pass. When the arms lift, each proceeds safely toward a spectacular future. To watch campaign videos and share this important safety reminder, visit up.com.
Metra has a long history of being extremely active in railroad safety education efforts. Operation Lifesaver is a railroad industry educational program that teaches train safety awareness. Metra has two Operation Lifesaver presenters who have provided nearly 1,000 safety blitzes and safety presentations each year that stress the message “Look, listen and live” for schools, driver education programs and various community organizations.
For the past 10 years, Metra has also sponsored an annual Safety Poster and Essay contest designed to promote and reinforce railroad safety messages. More than 28,500 students have had the opportunity to show what they’ve learned about the importance of safe behaviors around trains and railroad tracks. For more information about Metra’s railroad safety efforts, please click here.
