PRESS RELEASE: 7th Railway Safety Week begins
NPO Operation Lifesaver Estonia and the Estonian Technical Surveillancer Authority organise another Railway Safety Week lasting from April 25 to May 1. The purpose of the event is to remind road users that railway level crossings are extremely dangerous as unexpected encounters with trains can have really tragic consequences – pedestrians, motor vehicles and trains compete in totally different weight categories.
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The message of already seventh safety week is KNOW YOUR RIVAL. OLE has cooperated with the girls’ basketball team of Audentes Sports Club. “The sportsmen should know that the key to success is in knowing your rival,” said Tamo Vahemets, Chairman of Board of OLE.
The campaign materials created with the help of the basketball team demonstrate the different weight categories of motor vehicles and trains via game situations known in basketball. We call on people to think twice before confronting railway rolling stock.
The nation-wide safety week includes presentations on railway safety conducted in educational institutions. OLE also starts with presentations to the staff of the Police and Boarder Guard Board and Rescue Board on how to react in case of railway accidents and how to make correct decisions at the scene of an accident. So far such presentations were made by OLE’s cooperation partner Estonian Railways who now trusted this task to OLE. “We try to live up to the trust and give our best in making presentations all around Estonia,” said OLE’s training Manager Getter Toome.
Company Saare Foods and OLE launched a joint project during which bottled drinking water named LET’S SAVE LIVES will be offered to Estonian companies. During the Railway Safety Week the drinking water will be served in AS Edelaraudtee’s passenger trains. In the end of the Railway Safety Week a bicycle contest will take place in Pärnu where OLE will be communicating its safety message and offering water.
During the week, OLE’s cooperation partner the Police and Border Guard Board will focus on pedestrians trespassing on railway.
The key event of the Railway Safety Week is the “Golden Level Crossing Gates” event of gratitude that takes place on April 28. OLE thanks the persons and organisations dealing with railway safety. At this year’s event will be announced a photo competition titled “Railway and I”. The purpose of the competition is collecting information on how the Estonian people see railway and feel its presence. The prize fund of the contest is 1000 euros.
The Technical Surveillance Authority responsible for safety at national level considers continuous preventive work in the field of railway safety extremely important. “We appreciate the contribution of OLE into promoting railway safety. The campaigns and events organised by OLE help to increase the awareness of people of dangers present on railways and establish proper traffic behaviour. The cooperation between railway infrastructure managers and railway safety organisations including OLE helps the Technical Surveillance Authority to plan and organise railway safety work with the objective to find appropriate solutions to problems and make railway traffic as safe as possible”, said Anvar Salomets, Head of Railway Department of Technical Surveillance Authority.
[divider]Additional information:
Tamo Vahemets
Chairman of Board
+372 504 5112
[divider]Photos from ”Golden Level Crossing Gates” event
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