Rail Safety Education &

Suicide Prevention

JPB Citizens Advisory

Committee

August 15, 2018

Agenda Item 7

Overview

• Don’t Shortcut Life Public Education Program

• Suicide Prevention Initiatives

• September Activities

o Rail Safety Month

o Suicide Prevention Week

• Questions

2

Don’t Shortcut Life

Operation Lifesaver

Three E’s

• Education

• Engineering

• Enforcement

4

Education

5

Engineering

Grade Crossing

Improvements

25th Avenue Grade

Separation Project

6

Enforcement – Transit Police

7

Safety & Security Reports

8

Year Number of

Interventions

2018 *10

2017 40

2016 31

2015 38

2014 40

2013 23

172

*YTD

Caltrain In the News

9

Caltrain Incidents Caltrain Deaths 1992 to 2018 Suicides Non-Suicides Pending Total

1992 4 1 5

1993 7 4 11

1994 3 6 9

1995 11 9 20

1996 4 5 9

1997 5 2 7

1998 6 3 9

1999 4 3 7

2000 7 10 17

2001 9 5 14

2002 4 1 5

2003 7 3 10

2004 7 2 9

2005 8 2 10

2006 9 8 17

2007 6 2 8

2008 5 3 8

2009 15 4 19

2010 11 11

2011 15 1 16

2012 11 1 12

2013 11 2 13

2014 8 2 10

2015 17 3 20

2016 11 1 12

2017 5 4 9

2018* 2 4 6

2018* YTD

10

Suicide Prevention

Initiatives

Community partnerships

• San Mateo County Suicide Prevention

Committee

• Santa Clara County Suicide Prevention

Advisory Committee

• Project Safety Net (Palo Alto)

12

13

Promoting Crisis Text Line

14

Caltrain + Crisis Text Line

15

Promotion of 741741

In train stations, on trains, and (soon) on train

tracks

Escalate Active Rescues

Work directly with Transit Police to bring people

in crisis to safety

Data Reports

Crisis trends data reports about the Bay Area

Caltrain Activities

• Installed 250 suicide prevention signs at

stations

- There is Help

• Dedicated suicide prevention resource page

• Raised $25,000 for American Foundation for

Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness

Walks

• Sponsored the Caminar for Mental Health

Symposium three times

16

September Activities

Rail Safety Month

National Suicide Prevention Week

Rail Safety Month

Activities:

• Creating a rail safety PSA that shows what Caltrain staff

does whenever there is an incident on tracks

• Hosting a safety booth at Facebook Festivals in Menlo

Park on Sept. 8

• On Sept. 25, Caltrain and Transit Police participating in

Operation Clear Tracks

• Focus area - Whipple Avenue, Brewster Avenue and

Broadway grade crossings in RWC

• Promoting rail safety through social media -

#CaltrainSafe

18

Suicide Prevention Week

• National Suicide Prevention Week -

• September 9 to 15

• Participating in social media campaigns with

regional community partners

19

Questions?

Tasha Bartholomew

Manager, Communications

650.508.7927

communications@samtrans.com