Metro News Release
For immediate release: April 23, 2009
Metro to install emergency exterior door release devices on two-thirds of rail fleet
Exterior door release device to assist first responders during an emergency
To enhance passenger safety, Metro will install exterior manual door release devices on 846 rail cars, which will permit first responders and Metro staff to open rail car doors from the outside in an emergency.
Today (April 23) the Metro Board of Directors approved the installation of these devices on two-thirds of the Metrorail fleet by next summer at a cost of $1.6 million.
Metro is complying with a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that all rail passenger cars have manual exterior door releases. For the past six months, Metro officials have been testing an exterior manual door device on the 6000 series rail cars.
“The installation of these exterior manual devices will greatly benefit emergency first responders in the event they have to respond to a life-safety issue aboard a Metro train,” said Dave Kubicek, Metro’s Assistant General Manager for Metrorail. “We hope we never have to use these devices, but in the event we have to, the door releases will be ready and available.”
Metro ultimately hopes to have the exterior manual door releases installed on the entire fleet and will have them installed on all future rail car orders.
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Media contact for this news release: Angela Gates or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
News release issued at 3:57 pm, April 23, 2009.