MBTA to Conduct Emergency Drill in Acton Sunday

The following is from the MBTA:

On Sunday, September 21st, at approximately 8 AM, the MBTA will be conducting an emergency response exercise involving a Commuter Rail Train in Acton. While the exercise is scheduled from approximately 8am to 9:30am, neighbors near the Exercise location can expect heightened activity in the area from approximately 7am to 10am.

The MBTA’s Acton Commuter Rail Evacuation Drill is designed to establish a learning environment for public safety officials to exercise emergency response plans, policies, and procedures as they pertain to a commuter rail train evacuation. To ensure an effective exercise, subject matter experts and representatives from numerous agencies were part in the planning process and will take part in the exercise conduct and evaluation.

Under the drill’s scenario, an outbound commuter rail train strikes a pick-up truck at the Arlington Street grade crossing resulting in a fatality to the vehicle operator and “injuries” to more than a dozen passengers. Some 80 volunteers from the region are expected to participate in this exercise.

The exercise is a collaborative effort involving multiple public safety departments, Including Acton Police and Fire, with regional support from neighboring towns.

Participating agencies include MBTA Transit Police, MBTA Railroad Operations, MBTA Operations Control Center & MBTA Training, Safety Operations ,Keolis, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, United States Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, and the Stow Fire Department.

Photo: File