The Amtrak Emergency Management Department is currently conducting an outreach initiative for emergency responders to ensure they have an Amtrak personal contact and resource person to assist them and their organizations in the preparation, response, recovery, and training for an Amtrak emergency or incident.
The attached Amtrak Passenger Train Emergency Response (PTER) Handbook is provided for your review as well as to share with and disseminate to all those Fire Departments and Divisions within the State of Alabama that may respond to an Amtrak emergency. The Amtrak / Emergency Management Departments’ intent is not only to provide emergency responders with a guidance document on passenger train emergencies, but also make available free training (Amtrak Passenger Train Emergency Response (PTER) Training) to any department or division that is interested.
A Letter From the Amtrak Vice President Corporate Security and Chief of Police:
Dear Public Safety Partner,
On behalf of Amtrak, its nearly 20,000 employees and our millions of passengers I thank you for joining us as Amtrak First Responders and extend our sincerest appreciation for all that you do for your communities each day. The Regional Emergency Managers of the Amtrak Police Department are here to support your efforts, and this new Passenger Train Emergency Response Handbook is an example of our commitment to help you prepare your communities for emergency incidents involving passenger trains, railroad equipment and facilities, while safely working within the railroad Right-of-Way.
Amtrak operates a nationwide rail passenger service on 21,400 miles of track primarily owned by freight railroads connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia). It is the nation’s only high-speed intercity passenger rail provider, operating trains at speeds as fast as 150 mph over current infrastructure. More than half of Amtrak trains operate at speeds of 100 mph, along a national network with routes ranging in length from 764 miles to 2,438 miles. Amtrak serves up to 32 million passengers per year across our system and is working with State transportation leaders to expand inter-city train services.
Amtrak’s primary concern during all phases of rail operations is to provide for the safety of our customers, employees, first responders, and the public, especially during the response to a passenger train emergency. Every Amtrak employee and train crew member are trained, to assist injured passengers and employees, and support first responders on the scene of a critical incident.
On behalf of the Amtrak Police Department, thank you for all you do, and we remain committed to your safety and success and look forward to strengthening our inter-agency partnership.
Warmest Regards,
D. Samuel Dotson
Vice President Corporate Security and Chief of Police
Amtrak Police Department