Operation Lifesaver announces four safety grants
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefOperation Lifesaver, Inc. on Wednesday announced that four transit agencies will receive rail safety education grants as part of its partnership with the Federal Transit Administration.
Transit agencies selected for grants under the Operation Lifesaver/FTA partnership include: Memphis (Tenn.) Area Transit Authority (MATA); Phoenix’s Valley Metro; Portland, Ore.’s Tri-Met; and Salt Lake City’s TRAX.
OLI President Helen M. Sramek announced the grants in a speech at FTA’s 15th Annual State Safety Oversight meeting in Washington. D.C. “Even as rail transit remains among the safest modes of transportation in the United States, continued growth in ridership heightens the importance of safety education in our communities,” said Sramek. “We are proud to partner with the Federal Transit Administration on these safety grants.”
Sramek also noted that nine transit agencies have incorporated the Operation Lifesaver “Bad Move” rail-pedestrian safety poster campaign into their public education efforts.
“The ‘Bad Move’ PSA targets people aged 16 to 34 with a message that’s intended to reduce pedestrian-train deaths and injuries,” said Sramek. “These transit agencies have joined our ‘Bad Move’ interactive poster campaign, increasing awareness of the dangers of walking on or near train tracks. As our campaign continues to expand, we are extending the ‘Bad Move’ Write Your Own Ending contest through Nov. 9, 2011 in order to make sure everyone who would like can enter.”
