FTA 03-03
Contact: Kristi Clemens
Friday, January 17, 2003
Tel: (202) 493-2013
Federal Transit
Administration Launches Emergency Preparedness Forum in Newark, NJ
--Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Launches 15th of
17 Forums in Newark to Strengthen Emergency Plans and Regional Coordination--
NEWARK, NJ—The Federal Transit
Administration (FTA), will open its "Connecting Communities: Emergency
Preparedness and Security Forum" in Newark on Jan. 22 - 23.
The forums were created to help communities become better prepared
to respond to emergency situations.
Using the successful evacuation of the transit stations below the World Trade Center as a benchmark, the goal of the forums is to demonstrate the important role that transit plays in crisis situations and the importance of delivering a coordinated regional response to any emergency. Participating transit agencies will work with regional emergency responders to determine the effectiveness of interagency response plans for the Newark region.
“Public transportation is an important component of our
Nation’s emergency response and evacuation plans in the event of natural
disasters or terrorist incidents,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Norman Y. Mineta. “Transit
vehicles often serve not only as a means of moving people away from affected
areas, but also as an important means to transport emergency workers to the site
or as a temporary shelter for both workers and victims.
When disaster strikes, the public demands an expert team, delivering a
coordinated response across traditional boundaries.”
The forums, which will continue in other U.S.
cities through early 2003, have been created in cooperation with FTA’s
partners, the American Public Transportation Association and the Federal
Railroad Administration. The FTA
has been working with the New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) to host the forum.
“NJ Transit is pleased to co-host the FTA's Emergency Preparedness Forum. The two-day intense training program with emergency responders and our sister agencies will be vital in the event of a natural disaster or act of terrorism. While we are hopeful that nothing like this occurs, coordinating shared resources and skills is critical in our efforts to protect our customers and employees,” said George D. Warrington, Executive Director, NJ Transit.
FTA’s five-part Security Initiative includes evaluating threats and vulnerabilities through a security assessment; developing a plan to address vulnerabilities; testing the plan in realistic situations; training employees to understand and implement the plan; and undertaking research to enhance human capabilities.
Registration for the forums is being offered at no charge;
however, participants must pre-register online.
The forums are led by instructors who take participants through hands-on
exercises, including discussions, various emergency scenarios and group
break-out sessions.
To date, forums have been held in Orlando, FL; Philadelphia; Seattle; San Francisco and San Jose, CA; Washington, DC; Chicago; St. Louis; Detroit; Denver; Houston and Dallas; Charlotte, NC; and Hartford, CT.
Future scheduled forums are Feb. 5-6 in Los Angeles and Feb. 26-27 in San Diego.
For more information on the forums, visit www.transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov.
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