California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

Improving transit safety and security in California

Even before the 9/11 attacks and the recent rail bombings in Madrid and in London Caltrans understood that transit systems face risks posed by both natural disasters and the threat of terrorist attack. They also understood that transit is a vital, but often overlooked, component of the emergency preparedness and response community.

Since 2006, NCI and its partner Communiqué USA have worked with Caltrans to conduct a series of conferences, workshops and exercises for rural and urban transit providers to improve coordination with traditional first responder agencies to be better prepared to respond to a major incident. Communiqué USA developed the Transit Emergency Planning Guidance while NCI was asked to produce a series of web videos to highlight transit’s role in emergency preparedness and response.

The training was put to the test during the 2007 Southern California and the 2008 Northern California wildfires. Caltrans maintenance workers provided traffic control and removed debris for the safe evacuation of residents from the fire, while providing firefighters with access. Caltrans secured emergency contracts, evaluated damage and organized contractors. More than 400 maintenance employees were on duty at the height of the 2007 emergency, while 11 fires burned 372,100 acres.