Report on Yellow Line Incident
I promised during Monday's Live Online discussion that I'd try to learn more about a morning incident on Metro at Pentagon Station, and Metro spokeswoman Candace Smith was able to get back to me later in the day.
First, here's what the questioner said during our discussion:
"I am concerned about an incident that happened this morning on the Yellow Line. A women who appeared sick passed out in one of the cars while we were stopped in the Pentagon Station. We pressed the emergency call button and notified the train operator, but he still attempted to close the doors and move on. We held the doors open, and eventually through the passengers waiting in the platform, the operator got the message to stop. We told the train operator and as many WMATA employees we could find that there was an emergency, and at least two people on the train dialed 911.
"During the entire time we sat on the platform, no emergency responders who could administer first aid showed up. This was about five to seven minutes. WMATA employees carried her off the train, but I didn't see any paramedics or health professionals."
Candace Smith gave this account from Metro's side:
The train pulled into the station at 8:03 a.m. and left the station at 8:11. The train operator called for medical assistance at 8:05 and paramedics arrived at the station at 8:10 a.m. The train operator may not have at first clearly heard the first call for help through the emergency intercom as she or he was likely away from the console and monitoring the platform through the cab window. This is standard operating procedure. The passenger was taken to the hospital by medical personnel.
By |
October 2, 2006; 6:01 PM ET
Metro
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Posted by: Joe | October 2, 2006 6:29 PM
More lies by metro. The driver was probably listening to music, talking on his cell phone, or cat calling at women on the platform. Metro employees have shown nothing but incompetence and rudeness in all my years of metro riding, and will continue to do so as log as the union protects the worst workers. And the spokesperson only does damage control, just like people on capitol hill. Every time they issue a statement, there are real people who were witnesses who can rebut Metro's claim. I know this is a blog, but how about a little journalistic skepticism, make them back up their claims from time to time. Or does Metro buy too many newspapers to do that?
Posted by: P-Money | October 3, 2006 8:29 AM
I was there that morning and the train operator repeatedly asked for people to press the emergency radio button AFTER he proclaimed for 3 minutes that the train could not move if the doors were blocked. The problem is the people pressed the button about 30 seconds after the lady passed out yet the operator did not acknowledge that button being pressed. Someone had to run up the platform to the operator and tell him to hold on as someone passed out.
Posted by: John | October 9, 2006 11:24 PM
the above poster is correct. as long as the union has WMATA by the balls there will continue to be incompetence, lies and cover-ups. i've lived here my entire life and i've not once witnessed WMATA management admit and/or apologize for an obvious failure.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 12, 2006 4:41 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Ms. Smith states:
"The train operator may not have at first clearly heard the first call for help through the emergency intercom as she or he was likely away from the console and monitoring the platform through the cab window."
****
Is an "Emergency" button really that quiet that a train operator cannot hear one in the very small area in their cab? Should not an emergency alarm be a little louder, or more urgent, so that it can at least be heard five feet away?!?