SMALL BLUE SIGNS ARE POSTED AT THOUSANDS OF RAIL CROSSINGS IN IOWA AND THOSE SIGNS CAN BE LIFESAVERS IF THERE’S TROUBLE ON THE TRACKS.
THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S RAIL SAFETY TEAM IS WORKING TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT WHAT ARE KNOWN AS EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM, OR E-N-S, SIGNS.
IOWA D-O-T RAIL DIRECTOR AMANDA MARTIN SAYS MOST PEOPLE DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS, OR EVEN NOTICE THAT THEY EXIST.
BLUESIGN1 OC……. “AWARENESS OUT” :12
EACH BLUE-AND-WHITE SIGN HAS AN EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER ALONG WITH ANOTHER NUMBER THAT IDENTIFIES THAT INDIVIDUAL RAIL CROSSING, AND THEY’RE BOTH VITAL.
BLUESIGN2 OC……”AT THE RAILROAD” ;14
IF YOUR VEHICLE IS HUNG UP ON THE TRACKS OR YOU SPOT ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT’S STUCK, CALLING THAT 800-NUMBER COULD PROVIDE THE RAILROAD ENOUGH TIME TO GET AN APPROACHING TRAIN STOPPED AND PREVENT DISASTER.
BLUESIGN3 OC……”WOULD BE GREAT” :08
IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, IOWANS ARE CONDITIONED TO CALL 9-1-1, BUT MARTIN SAYS IF THE EMERGENCY IS NEAR A RAILROAD CROSSING, THE FIRST CALL SHOULD BE TO THE 800-NUMBER ON THE SIGN.
BLUESIGN4 OC…… “CALL 911” :10
WEDNESDAY IS E-N-S SIGN AWARENESS DAY.
IOWA HAS MORE THAN 65-HUNDRED RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
IF YOU DON’T SEE A SIGN AND THERE’S A PROBLEM ON THE TRACKS, MARTIN SAYS TO CALL 9-1-1.
D-O-T PHOTO/ RADIO IOWA
