OPERATION LIFESAVER MATERIALS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO FACULTY, STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
WEST PALM BEACH – April 4, 2017 – Brightline, the only privately funded express intercity passenger rail system in the country, today announced its partnership with the School District of Palm Beach County to implement Operation Lifesaver to increase awareness about rail safetyto students, faculty and families. Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and trespassing on or near railroad tracks.
Working with Florida Operation Lifesaver, Brightline developed materials geared toward children of all ages and adults. A safety pledge card, fact sheet, in-classroom poster, tri-fold brochure and mailer were developed and produced in three languages, Spanish, Creole and English, to meet the needs of the diverse county populace. Materials will be disseminated through the District's online channels. An educational flyer emphasizing rail safety will be mailed to almost 42,000 families who live adjacent to the Florida East Coast Railway corridor.
“Safety is Brightline's top priority, and therefore it is very important to us to partner with the Palm Beach County School District to raise awareness before our passenger rail service begins later this year,” said Patrick Goddard, Brightline's Chief Operating Officer. “Our commitment to safety is far reaching. More than 30 Brightline employees are Operation Lifesaver Authorized Volunteers who are conducting informational sessions and educating the community about this important issue.”
“With two active rail lines running through Palm Beach County, awareness and education are key to keeping our students and their families safe. I hope families take the time to read the important safety information that Brightline has put together for them,” said Dr. Robert Avossa, Superintendent for the School District of Palm Beach County. “We are happy to partner with Brightline on such a critical issue that impacts students, parents, bus drivers and those interacting with the railroad on a daily basis.”
“Florida Operation Lifesaver is committed to working with community partners to raise awareness and improve public safety on and around highway-rail grade crossings and tracks,” said André Goins, director of the state rail safety program. “Today's increasing distractions, like smartphones and headphones, make kids less aware of their surroundings. Rail safety education campaigns, like this one funded in part by the Federal Railroad Administration, are key to keeping Florida residents safe near railroad tracks.”
In addition to launching an Operation Lifesaver campaign with the School District of Palm Beach County, Brightline is working with municipalities along the Florida East Coast Railway to share rail safety information through multiple distribution channels, including utility bills, city websites and social media outlets, information in libraries and more. Community groups that would like to have an Operation Lifesaver presentation should contact Andre.Goins@dot.state.fl.us.
Brightline's express, intercity train service between West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami is expected to begin this summer. Comprised of two locomotive and four coaches, each of the five Brightline trains is approximately 500 feet long. The first completed trainset is currently undergoing testing on a nine-mile track between West Palm Beach and Lantana.
ABOUT BRIGHTLINE
Brightline is the new benchmark for travel by train in America with express inter-city passenger rail service connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with future service to Orlando. Providing a travel option that lives at the intersection of transportation and hospitality, the service will ease the stress of traffic, provide a simple and intuitive experience from door to destination, and foster new opportunities to explore more of Southeast Florida. Brightline is the only privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail system in the United States. For more information, visit our website: www.gobrightline.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY
The School District of Palm Beach County is the eleventh largest in the nation and the fifth largest in the state of Florida with 185 schools, serving more than 183,000 students who speak 150 languages and dialects. As the largest employer in Palm Beach County, the school district has nearly 21,000 employees, including more than 12,000 teachers. The School District of Palm Beach County is committed to providing a world-class education with excellence and equity to empower each student to reach his or her highest potential with the most effective staff to foster the knowledge, skills, and ethics required for responsible citizenship and productive careers.
ABOUT OPERATION LIFESAVER
Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail crossings and preventing trespassing on or near railroad tracks. A national network of trained volunteers gives free presentations on rail safety and a public awareness campaign, “See Tracks? Think Train!”provides the general public with tips and statistics to encourage safe behavior near the tracks. Learn more at http://www.oli.org; follow OLI on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.