Press release, 30 April 2013: OLE recognized outstanding contributors to railway safety

01/05/2013
News

[image_frame style=”framed_shadow” align=”left” alt=”” title=”Rauteeohutusnädal (RON) 29.04.-07.05.2013″ height=”370″ width=”250″]http://ole.ee/wp-content/gallery/kuldne-tokkepuu-2013/img_7349.jpg[/image_frame]At today’s “Golden Level Crossing Gates” ceremony Operation Lifesaver Estonia thanked those organisations and persons who showed remarkable results in the field of railway safety. Ken-Marti Vaher, Minister of Internal Affairs, presented the diplomas and honorary medals. The “Golden Level Crossing Gates” award went to JCDecaux Eesti OÜ that has contributed for several years to spreading the railway safety messages.

“Prevention plays a very important role in ensuring safety on railways,” explained Minister of Internal Affairs Ken-Marti Vaher. “As no one can stop the people wishing to cross railways, it is very important to make people aware of the threats and teach them proper behaviour. It is important for the non-profit organisations, volunteers and state agencies to cooperate in order to keep people away from danger and save their lives with the help of prevention work. Our cooperation with OLE has been an excellent example and it is worth recognition. The daily efforts for preventing accidents are also reflected in the statistics of the recent years, according to which the number of railway accidents and related fatalities are showing a decline,“ said the Minister of Internal Affairs.

The “Golden Level Crossing Gates” award for excellent voluntary activities in the field of railway safety was this year presented to outdoor advertising media company JCDecaux Eesti OÜ. ”This company with a strong sense of mission has taken on the obligation to facilitate the process of spreading railway safety messages. They have displayed railway safety posters in city environment free of charge already for the last six years and thus given a huge contribution to making railways a safer place,“ explained Tamo Vahemets, Chairman of the Management Board of OLE.

The honorary medals for professional activities in the field of railway safety were presented to:

  • Ain Pilipenko (Edelaraudtee AS, Service Inspector),
  • Gennadi Jurkin (AS Eesti Raudtee, Deputy Head of Track Department),
  • Riho Tänak (Police Board, Superintendent of the Mainenance of Law and Order Department),
  • Alo Tammsalu (Rescue Board, Deputy Director General)
  • Getter Toome (volunteer, AS Swedbank).

 

The title of the “Best Presenter 2013” was given to the Youth Police Officer of Valga Department of the Police and Boarder Guard Board Lea Oks.

OLE presented also around 50 diplomas and letters of gratitude to various private persons and organisations.

Tamo Vahemets explained that the number of railway accidents has started to decrease. Last year 16 railway accidents were registered in Estonia, which is almost twice less than a year before. ”During the last two years we have had no train – motor vehicle collisions with fatal consequences and this makes us particularly happy. The statistics about pedestrians is unfortunately not so pleasing. We still need to do a lot of work in order to improve people’s awareness in that area, especially considering that in the second half of this year brand new passenger trains will be driving in Estonia. These trains are much faster and quieter, which makes them harder to notice.“

Today, Tarmo Miilits, Deputy Director General of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, Kuno Tammearu, Director General of the Estonian Rescue Board and Katrin Saks, Director of the Baltic Film and Media School, signed cooperation agreements with Operation Lifesaver Estonia that provide for a long-term cooperation for improving public awareness and making our living environment safer.

In previous years, the “Golden Level Crossing Gates” award has been given to:

  • Tallinn City Government
  • Liivika Juksaar
  • Kristiine Shopping Mall
  • Tarmo Miilits
  • Western Estonian Rescue Centre
  • Järva County Rescue Department
  • Andrei Sozinov
  • Marek Lindmaa

 

OLE (www.ole.ee) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2004 by the initiative of AS Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railways) with the mission to increase considerably public awareness about dangers involved in railway traffic and lawful behaviour on railway, with the purpose to reduce the number of railway accidents and people killed and injured in such accidents.

 

Additional information:
Tamo Vahemets, Chairman of Management Board of OLE,
E-mail: tamo@operationlifesaver.eu
Tel: +372 504 5112

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