September 09, 2022
Safety

OLI Names New State Coordinators, Issues Photography Safety Materials

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor

Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) now offers rail safety outreach and education programs in 47 states plus Washington, D.C., with the addition of eight new state coordinators. It has also teamed with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on education materials covering the dangers and illegality of railroad track photography.

OLI reported on Sept. 7 that its new state coordinators will serve in Alaska (Tom Covington), the District of Columbia (Kisha Anderson), Florida (Brian Owens), Kansas (Jessica Mays), Louisiana (Jennifer Grigsby), Maryland (Stacey Beckett), Nebraska (Debra Ashworth), and Nevada (Larry Hamilton). (For the complete coordinator list, visit the OLI website.)

“State Coordinators manage rail safety outreach and education throughout their states—and are an integral part of helping to #STOPTrack Tragedies,” said OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh, who expressed appreciation for “their commitment to making their communities safer.”

Additionally, due to the “proliferation of images by both professional and amateur photographers as well as social media posts showing people on railroad tracks,” the rail safety non-profit, in partnership with FRA, has produced new education materials on the dangers of track photography. They include public service announcements (PSAs) available in 30- and 15-second lengths in English and Spanish, as well as social media graphics, billboards, print ads and flyers highlighting the need for safe decisions when taking and posting images.

“We are pleased to support Operation Lifesaver, Inc. in releasing these new materials sharing the rail safety message,” said Karl Alexy, Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer at FRA. “When you see tracks, always think train. Avoid putting yourself, your clients and your followers in danger.”