Video of the Railroad Safety Panel on January 21, 2021 (YouTube)
Resources referenced in this event:
METRA Safety Education and Awareness
Operation Lifesaver Railroad Safety Education
Illinois Commerce Commission Rail Safety email: [email protected]
Federal Railroad Administration Rail Safety
CREATE Program – partnership between the U.S. DOT, State of Illinois, Cook County, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak, and the nation’s freight railroads
Crisis Text Line Text IGOTU To 741741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-TALK (8255)
Contacts:
Brian Vercrusse, Rail Safety Program Administrator, Illinois Commerce Commission, (312) 636-7760 [email protected]
Steve Laffey, Railroad Safety Specialist, Illinois Commerce Commission, (217) 785-9026 slaffey@
Kurt Blodgett, Risk Management-Western Region, Union Pacific (312) 777-2045 [email protected]
Hilary Konczal, Chief Safety and Environmental Officer, (312) 322-6743 [email protected]
Jason J Washburn, PhD, ABPP, Professor Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine [email protected]
Every three hours in the U.S. a person or vehicle is hit by a train according to the National Traffic Safety Board.
That translates to 2,100 North Americans who are killed or seriously injured around tracks with devastating consequences for loved ones and members of the community. It can take more than a mile to stop a train — the equivalent of about 18 football fields making it difficult if not impossible for a train to stop.
Lanny Wilson MD has made it his mission is to keep families safe around trains after his daughter, Lauren, died in a train accident. Wilson who now serves as chairman of the DuPage Railroad Safety Council, will join us and share his daughter’s story. Also serving on the distinguished panel of experts are Brian Vercruysse, P.E. Rail Safety Program Administrator, Illinois Commerce Commission, Kurt M. Blodgett, Sr. Manager Risk Management Union Pacific and Hilary Konczal, Metra’s Chief Safety & Environmental Officer.
Jason Washburn, PhD, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Jason Washburn PhD Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Practice at Amita Health and professor in psychiatry at the Feinberg School, of Medicine at Northwestern University medical School will address participants as well. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified specialist in clinical child and adolescent psychology. Washburn earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from DePaul University and completed a clinical internship at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and a fellowship at the University of Michigan. Dr. Washburn is a consultant at AMITA Behavioral Medicine, a Director of Graduate Studies and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University, and Director of Research in the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
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The goal of this special Glenbard Parent Series event is to raise awareness and empower the public to stay safe near highway-rail grade crossings, and understand the rules of railroad rights-of-way. Students, caregivers and the community are invited to join us for the lifesaving, information they need to protect themselves and their loved ones.
This program is sponsored in partnership with the following villages: Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Villa Park, Elmhurst, and Wheaton.
