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UTA, First Responders Stage Sugarhouse Streetcar Safety Drill

Brian Grimmett/KUER

Local police and firemen performed a safety drill this morning (Tuesday) in preparation for the opening of the new Sugar House Streetcar TRAX line.

UTA police coordinated with police and fire departments from Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake in order to test communications and response times to incidents with the new line. In the drill scenario, a car had struck a cyclist and pushed him into an oncoming train. While police investigated the driver, fire crews worked on lifting the train to pull a dummy out from underneath. The whole process took about thirty minutes. UTA Police Lt. Mike Thiede helped stage the drill.

“We believe in safety and in planning and in practicing these types of exercises so that we can better respond,” says Thiede.

Lt. Thiede says these types of drills happen several times a year, including every time a new UTA rail opens.

“We’ve done drills with Frontrunner and TRAX this year, with all of the different police departments and fire departments that have been involved in opening new rail lines,” says Thiede.

The Sugar House S-line will begin service on December 8.   

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