OC Transpo finalizing protocols for emergency evacuation
By Saskia Rodenburg
A recent inquiry by the City of Ottawa’s accessibility advisory committee has revealed that OC Transpo is still finalizing protocols on how to deal with crises such as a terror attack in the new light-rail transit system.
The committee inquired about the emergency evacuation procedure for transit users – particularly those in wheelchairs or others who rely on accessibility features and a response was issued to the committee in December, according to OC Transpo spokesperson André Brisebois.
Details of the inquiry and OC Transpo’s reponse became public recently when they appeared in the agenda for the committee’s Jan. 16 meeting.
The committee asked about whether Ottawa bus and LRT operators are “trained to deal with evacuations after an accident or emergency, especially with regard to persons with disabilities . . . if an LRT or O-Train has an emergency (fire, chemical, terrorist) far from a boarding platform?”
OC Transpo, which operates both bus and rail service in the city, provided a detailed response, including assurances that: “OC Transpo operators of conventional buses, Para Transpo mini-buses, and light rail vehicles are provided with comprehensive training on our emergency procedures. Our emergency evacuation procedures identify actions to be taken in the event of an emergency situation or evacuation to ensure the safety of all passengers, including those with disabilities.”
The inquiry about how OC Transpo would respond to a possible terror attack on the city’s transit system has come to light after Mayor Jim Watson and city officials recently confirmed plans to erect security bollards along the edge of the City Hall plaza on Laurier Avenue to prevent a possible terror attack in which a vehicle might be driven into a crowd of people.
“We have seen, unfortunately and sadly, the world change,” Watson said in an interview on CBC’s Ottawa Morning on Jan. 11. “You look at the Christmas market in Berlin and the weapon of choice, sadly, is something as crude as a truck ramming into people.”
Members of the accessibility advisory committee, including chair Brian Wade, had submitted the inquiry about emergency transit procedures to the city’s general manager of transportation services.
The mandate of the committee is to monitor the city’s compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 and to advocate for the needs of local residents with special needs.
“The Accessibility Advisory Committee has been very involved in reviewing the new transit system (LRT, OC Transpo, ParaTranspo, Taxis, Vehicle for Hire companies) and like any body of the city, we have requested some additional information on the operations of these systems,” Wade said in an email message.
Brisebois noted that OC Transpo operators go through “very comprehensive” training after being hired, including training to assess certain situations and the identification of clear actions to take after incidents occur — including in the event of a potential terror attack.
“There’s strong lines on communication,” said Brisebois. “We have special constables, mobile supervisors that are deployed throughout the transit system every day. These resources can be dispatched any way at any time.”
There are also partnerships between transit operations control, emergency services — including paramedics — and OC Transpo services.
Following the initial training, operators go through refresher training on emergency policy and procedures.
2018 will mark the year that light rail transit will begin for Ottawa, and this was also highlighted in the committee’s inquiry to staff.
OC Transpo is currently in the process of finalizing the revised evacuation and emergency procedures for the east-west Confederation Line, which are being completed in collaboration with emergency service providers, according to Brisebois.
Drills and exercises are taking place as a part of this process, including various scenarios that could arise that would require evacuation of the light rail system.
Wade says that large scale projects like the LRT require the accessibility advisory committee’s ongoing attention.
“I imagine that LRT will be something that comes back to the Accessibility Advisory Committee for a final report before going ‘live,’” he said. “According to the news, there is some concern about the new LRT system with regards to people who are visually impaired or blind. I personally would like to get a follow-up on this topic from the LRT group.”