Safe Communities Delivers Rail Safety Tips

Safe Communities Humboldt and Area is sharing railway safety tips to elementary school students across the area.

CN Police Constable Shayn Olsen spoke to students in Muenster, Bruno and Englefeld over the past couple days providing tips and awareness to the students.

The kids also drew pictures depicting what they have learned with Safe Communities and the Humboldt Collegiate Institute SADD group choosing three winners in different age groups.

Englefeld's Jackson Siroski is the grades 5/6 winner.

"I drew a train on the tracks and I said caution, private property, stay off of tracks"

For his effort, Siroski won an Ipod Shuffle. 

"I was really excited, I didn't know I would get picked."

Muenster's Sarah Loehr was the k to grade 2 winner, Dawson Demong-Moritz of Bruno was chosen as the grades 3/4 winner.

Safe Communities Executive Director Shari Hinz was very pleased with the students' participation this year through out the program. She explains that there will now be a chance for the public to see the artwork.

"Entries were submitted from each of the schools, with the artwork showing the rail safety messages that they learned. It includes some information on those place mats as well, website links and activities to be distributed through out the restaurants in the region."

The rail safety initiative is just one of Safe Communities annual programs but for Hinz it's a crucial one with so many local centres having tracks through or near their community.

"With our students that are traveling to and from school on buses, parents that are commuting to and from work crossing tracks on a daily basis, there are a number of communities that have railroads either along side or through them. We've got to have that continued awareness regarding rail safety."

In 2010, there was over 250 railway incidents that resulted in 81 deaths and over 60 serious injuries.

You can hear more from Hinz below in her interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.