News

Metro Hosts Joint Training Exercise for First Responders Starting June 20

Fire departments from twelve local municipalities will join Metro beginning on Monday, June 20, for a three-day joint training exercise at the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 MetroLink Station. Over the course of three days, personnel from the Brentwood, Clayton, Crestwood, Glendale, Ladue, Maplewood, Olivette, Richmond Heights, Rock Hill, Shrewsbury, University City and Webster Groves Fire Departments will train on how to conduct emergency operations on MetroLink, which will include:

• Using ladder trucks to reach an elevated MetroLink track
• Accessing the interior of the train
• Using rail-specific safety equipment like rail clamps
• Practicing rescuing passengers from an elevated MetroLink train using a ladder truck

The joint training exercise is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, June 20, Tuesday, June 21, and Thursday, June 23, at the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 MetroLink Station. The exercise provides local first responders with first-hand experience on the uniqueness of working with MetroLink trains and elevated rail lines, as well as the coordination and communication required in situations where multiple agencies must work together efficiently.

MetroLink operations will not be impacted by the exercise. Some parking spots on the northwest end of the station’s Park-Ride lot will be unavailable during the exercise to accommodate fire department trucks and equipment.

MEDIA: If you are interested in taking photos or video of local firefighters participating in this training exercise, please contact Jerry Vallely, Metro’s External Communications Manager, at 314-486-5553. A good time for shooting will be on Monday, June 20, at 9:30 a.m., when firefighters will be scaling ladders to reach the elevated train and practicing rescuing of a “dummy” from the elevated rail to their teams at ground level.

About Metro

Metro is the operator of the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 399 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 78 MetroBus routes in Missouri and Illinois; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 122 vans. Metro is an enterprise of Bi-State Development (BSD), which also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park; the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch trams. BSD also operates the Bi-State Development Research Institute and the St. Louis Regional Freightway.