METRO NEWS
For More Information Contact:
Ted Burton, Public Relations Manager 389-7550
Web
site: www.capmetro.org
Capital Metro Board members today learned more about the
agency’s Emergency Reponse/Disaster Recovery Plan at the Operations &
Business Development Committee Meeting.
Capital Metro has been working with the Austin Police Department to
finalize the plan. “If our facilities
are targeted, we want to make sure we
can keep service on the streets even if we have to move our operations to a
remote location,” said Elaine Timbes, Capital Metro’s Chief Administration
Officer who briefed Board Members Wednesday.
“We’re looking at other issues such as how do we operate if there’s a
fuel shortage. Everyone at Capital
Metro understands public transportation is a critical community service that
must be maintained and protected.”
Timbes is heading up Capital Metro’s Security Team, which is
working with local law enforcement, the Federal Transportation Administration,
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other transit agencies around the
country. Metro staff met Tuesday and
Wednesday to finalize the agency’s Emergency Response/Disaster Recovery
Plan. “Capital Metro will play a major
role in the event it is necessary to evacuate private and/or public
facilities,” said Timbes. “We’re
working closely with the Emergency Operations Center to coordinate this.”
The foundation of Capital Metro’s security team is the
Austin Police Department. 47 APD
Officers currently work for Metro under a secondary employment agreement. Officers patrol routes, monitor trouble
spots when needed, patrol Capital Metro’s railroad right-of-way, train
employees on security, and work undercover assignments on bus routes.
Immediately following the events of September 11, APD
dispatched 4 additional Officers to Capital Metro to beef up security. A Safety Alert was issued to all employees,
including bus operators, reminding everyone to:
·
Be aware of their surroundings
·
Carefully Review emergency
procedures
·
Follow the escort policy for
all visitors on property
·
Report suspicious activities
or packages
Timbes told Board Members Capital Metro is strictly enforcing
its existing policy requiring employees wear ID badges at all times. APD officers now guard both gates at Capital
Metro’s bus facility and no one is allowed on the property without proper
identification. Drivers are checking
passengers’ identifications on the UT Shuttle’s Pickle Research route. Bus operators also carefully inspect their
vehicles before leaving the property.
Two weeks after the 9-11 events, the FTA in conjunction with
the Department of Transportation completed an extensive review of Capital
Metro’s security program. The review
found the agency is already meeting, or even creating, “best practices” in
several areas. “The auditors praised
our program that certifies Austin Police Officers to drive our buses in
emergency situations,” said General Manager Karen Rae. “Auditors also pointed out the open design
of our bus shelters actually makes them easy to monitor and patrol. Plus, there’s no risk of broken glass.”
The Capital Metro Board is expected to award a contract next
month for the Cameras on Buses Project.
By June 2002, 60 buses will be equipped with cameras, which will be
monitored by security. This project was underway before September 11,
2001. The cost of the project,
including equipment and installation, is about $600,000.
Due to the anthrax situation, Timbes says Capital Metro is
revising its company mail procedures.
“Effective today, all mail will be opened in one location,” said
Timbes. “We have dedicated a room for
all incoming mail. This room will be
off limits to all personnel. Anyone
handling incoming mail will wear gloves and a mask.”
“Even before September 11, 2001, several security
initiatives were already underway and we have made more changes since then,”
said Rae. “That review is on-going and
I am receiving daily updates on the progress.
We plan to keep our employees, and the public, updated as we continue to
provide an invaluable service to this community.”