Tips for Emergency Responders

Operating an emergency response vehicle adds an element of urgency to making decisions at highway-rail grade crossings.  These places where the roadway crosses the railroad tracks are a special kind of intersection, a highway-rail intersection.  Operation Lifesaver and the National Volunteer Fire Council remind emergency vehicle operators to...

Be Pro-active for Your Safety and the Safety of Your Partners

• Plan routes that allow the driver or other crew members clear sight down the railroad tracks in both directions.
  
• Have emergency phone numbers for railroads at dispatch centers.  Know which railroad controls the tracks, especially if more than one railroad operates in your community.
  
• If a train is blocking a crossing when you must get through, contact your emergency dispatcher or the local railroad office.
  
• Do not place emergency vehicles on tracks and expect the train to be able to stop quickly enough to avoid a collision.
• To stop a train contact the railroad.  Give exact locations, using all available reference points: check signal housing for DOT crossing number, e.g, 123456E.  If known, use railroad mile posts, name of road, crossroads, and town.
• If necessary to fight long-term brush or structure fires, contact the railroad to obtain clearance to move ballast and feed the hose under the tracks.  This will allow safe fire fighting and safe train passage.
  

A 1986 study conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that a train's warning horn is effective for large commercial and emergency vehicles only if the driver stops the vehicle, idles the engine, turns off all radios, fans, wipers amd other noise sources in the cab, and lowers the window.

Frequently Asked Questions about Highway-Rail Intersections

Why do you say a train cannot yield to an emergency vehicle?
It takes an average freight train carrying 6,000 tons and traveling at 55 mph, a mile or more to stop.

Which is louder: a train horn and bell or an emergency vehicle siren and horn?
Even if emergency sirens and air horns are deactivated as an emergency vehicle approaches a crossing, ambient noise levels in the cab may still mask the sound of an approaching train horn.

What should an emergency vehicle operator do when approaching highway-rail intersections?
Turn off sirens, air horns, and any other sound-producing devices; roll down the vehicle's window, slow down and look both ways to determine if a train is approaching. If a crossing has obstructions or a severe curvature that interferes with ability to see, stop the emergency vehicle and send a crew member on foot to determine the safety of crossing.

How can an emergency response team minimize driving hazards?
Whenever possible, plan an emergency response route that avoids highway-rail grade crossings, or plan routes so that they include only crossings with active warning devices.

How can the crew of the vehicle assist the driver?
One crew member can initiate face-to-face communication with the driver to determine the driver's intentions when approaching a highway-rail intersection.  This will remind the driver of the carefully planned procedures for traversing a particular crossing.

Request a Free Presentation

Contact the Operation Lifesaver Coordinator in your state to schedule a free highway-rail safety presentation. Certified Presenters are available to speak in school classrooms, to scout groups and community service groups, for company safety programs, and to driver education students.

Become a Presenter

Please also consider joining the 3,000 volunteers across the country who have been trained to deliver Operation Lifesaver's safety message.  For more information on how you can become an Operation Lifesaver Presenter, call Operation Lifesaver, Inc. at 1-800-537-6224 or contact your State Coordinator.