Crash of Two Subway Trains on the Williamsburg Bridge - New York City, NY » Lessons Learned

The following were cited by responders as critical lessons learned to be shared with other emergency responders:

• Familiarity with the other agencies and their incident command staffs is a significant benefit when handling an incident of unusual size or complexity. The participants should understand each agency’s mission, priorities, capabilities, limitations, and standard operating procedures. This can only be accomplished through pre-incident planning and regular inter-agency exercises. Familiarity with the individuals as well as the organizations is very helpful; as one responder indicated, “A personal relationship equals instant recognition.”

• Consider bridges as target hazards for pre-incident planning. This includes determining the best access routes to and from the bridge, learning about catwalks and pathways which are both above and beneath the bridge, identifying electrical or utility lines on the bridge, locating water supplies for fire suppression units, understanding the traffic patterns and periods of congestion on the bridge, and knowing the important structural features of the bridge.

• Keep unnecessary vehicles away from the scene. This is especially important when access to the scene is tight, as in this incident. Units that are not requested should not respond, especially when access to the scene is a problem.

• Think in advance of how patients will be transported. Dispatch ambulances to a staging area at an advantageous location and provide routes to and from the scene. Do not congest the loading area with ambulances waiting for patients. Park vehicles that will not be needed out of the way.

• Keep the news media informed and controlled. Providing accurate and timely information keeps the media from hampering rescue operations as they seek information. Provide “photo opportunities” for still and video photographers. The media can be of assistance in getting important messages to the public (e.g., areas to stay away from, precautionary actions to take, etc.). At the Williamsburg Bridge incident, the press was handled by the NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information and the Mayor’s Press Office. This ensured that the press didn’t hamper agency commanders or rescue operations.

• Utilize available resources found on the scene when necessary. In this case, the bridge workers (and their expertise) as well as some of the construction materials on site were used effectively by emergency responders to improve the safety of people walking on the tracks and surrounding areas.

• Institute the Incident Command System as early as feasible. In all but the rarest of cases, this will mean that the first-arriving unit will establish or pass command.

• Keep in mind that rail incidents can pose hazardous materials problems, even if the trains involved are simply passenger trains. There are a variety of hazardous materials (such as oil, fuels, etc.) that can be released, even in subway crashes. The Department of Environmental Protection (or its equivalent) can provide valuable control and clean-up advice, either at the scene or via phone.

• Be sure to protect rescuers and victims from the elements. Had it been raining, snowing, very hot, or very cold, considerations would have been made for shelter. In this case, the weather conditions were ideal, and such considerations were unnecessary.