lateral forces caused by derailments and overturns. The injuries in this accident illustrate the need for railcar safety design standards to address such forces.
Therefore, the NTSB concludes that although the passenger equipment safety standards in 49 CFR Part 238 provide some level of protection for occupants, the current requirements are not adequate to ensure that occupants are protected in some types of accidents. The NTSB believes that railroad occupant safety research and regulations should better reflect a greater spectrum of accident types and must employ a systematic approach that considers the causes of injury during derailments in which occupants may be thrown or struck by loose objects. Therefore, the NTSB recommends that the FRA conduct research to evaluate the causes of passenger injuries in passenger railcar derailments and overturns and evaluate potential methods for mitigating those injuries, such as installing seat belts in railcars and securing potential projectiles (R-16-35). The NTSB further recommends that when the research specified in Safety Recommendation R-16-35 identifies safety improvements, use the findings to develop occupant protection standards for passenger railcars that will mitigate passenger injuries likely to occur during derailments and overturns.
1.9 Emergency Medical Response
1.9.1 Incident Management
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
the National Incident Management System is a systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work together seamlessly and manage incidents involving all threats and hazards—regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity—in order to reduce loss of life, property and harm to the environment.[1]
This management system is a high-level framework that officials can use to develop and customize their community-level emergency response plan that takes into account local resources and practices.
In this accident, the first 911 call reporting the derailment was placed by a passenger and received at 9:25 p.m. The first fire department companies dispatched at 9:28 p.m. to the accident scene included two engines, two pipelines, two ladders, two battalion chiefs, a medic unit, a rescue squad, and an emergency medical services (EMS) supervisor. The first arriving company reported on scene at 9:31 p.m. The first incident commander was a battalion chief who arrived on scene at 9:32 p.m. A staging area was established. The incident commander requested five additional medic units at 9:33 p.m. The medic units and two EMS supervisors were dispatched. The incident commander reported to the fire communications center that there were people on the tracks, cars were overturned, and Amtrak should be notified to shut down the corridor. While en route at 9:35 p.m., a deputy fire chief ordered the incident classified as a mass casualty
- ↑ Source: www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system (accessed March 28, 2016).
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