5.19.2025 City Council - Public Safety

Uh, good evening everyone. Uh, tonight is uh, May 14th. Uh, I'm sorry, May 19th, a meeting at 5:00 p.m. for public safety committee meeting. Uh, roll call, please. Uh, councelor Dion, Councelor Kilby here, Chair Hart here. I will also read a uh, a statement here.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings of transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Uh first thing on the agenda is a citizen's input and we have uh Dr. Jean Paul. You would come forward.

Sure.

Where would you like me? Right there is fine. Right here. Okay. Thank you so much. And I'm Jean. This is for you, Paul. Okay. Just um Got you. And this is for So, and my name is Jean. So, I'm Thank you so much. And so, um I'm going to be very brief. Okay. So, I live at 2779 North Main Street, which is directly across from the Weaver's Cove layover

facility. And um I also want to say that I appreciate this train. I have been a supporter since its inception. I was just telling Gan that Massachusetts has been able to do something that California was not. Right. This is a fabulous uh benefit for the for this I think whole south coast area. So um I have one specific concern and I of course I'm I think it is something we can solve together or I

would like help solving it together. The concern I have is noise during human sleeping hours, right? Nighttime noise.

I do not care about daytime noise.

Although I I feel for people who may be disturbed by vibration. 12:00 noon does not bother me, right? 2:00 a.m. does bother me. It bothers me because it wakes me up, right?

And how to say what I have found is that nighttime noise and I have had disrupted sleep. It affects my health. It affects my ability to work. I'm concerned that it's going to affect my the quality of my the value of my home. And so, and you can see I don't like getting involved like this. It's not my my actual nature.

I do feel that this issue of nighttime noise poses what I would call a disproportionate burden on those who are living in proximity of the layover station. Right? I'm talking my concerns.

It's a disproportionate burden. And so I did um a little research and like I say, I don't really like focusing on this.

The World Health Organization has a very clear guideline. I'm going to read it to you right here. there. Let me see if I can find it.

Um, the World Health Organization recommends that nighttime noise levels in urban settings should not exceed 40 dB outside a home to protect health and human well-being. So, I have two reports right here when I gave Paul a cover and you could obviously this is an emotional issue for me so just bear with me. So, NYOSH is the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety. They

have a decibel meter, right? That is pretty state-of-the-art. I measured decel decibel sound levels, not vibrational.

This is sound sound decibb continuous sound levels of 61.6 dB. This is on Friday night, May 2nd. Now, this is at 11:00 p.m. 10:55 to be precise. That's when a train is coming in. Oh, well, that passes, right?

But just so you know, here's a um and inside my house, by the way, just so you know, in the So, I have this little decibel meter. I walk around. I go inside my house.

47.6 dB. That's over what the World Health Organization recommends for human health and well-being. So, but that's that's 11:00 at night. Let me give you one more example.

And let me just um Okay. So, Dr. We're just going to make a motion just to wave the rules for motion to wave the rules for your time. Oh, thank you. Okay. So, I'm I'm going to be very very fast, but so this is on um Sunday night starting at 10:15 May 4th and going until I I actually fell into a stupified sleep at 3:30 a.m. So, I'm talking about continuous noise from

10:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. And here is a this is from Decel Meter Ultra on my iPhone Pro and it measures at 1:00 a.m. sound levels of 60.4 dB. That's at 1:00 a.m. right?

There was no place in my home that I could sleep that night. Not in the front, not in the back. So, we have that.

Um, so I want to say, you know, when I'm again very excited about this this train, but um I have really been thrown into a crisis. I really have. It's like, oh my god. Um, as a psychologist, I need to have a brain that works. And I would say anyone here, you try working on four hours of sleep. This is a direct threat to my health. It's a direct threat to my work.

Um, so I do take it seriously. So, um I know I'm going to that in terms of my concerns. So, I did again just a little bit of research and um we had a friend here visiting for lunch who um this is a couple of years ago. He's a trained man, an executive. He's worked on trains all over the US. So, he sees the construction site and he says, "Oh, they're going to put up BMS. They're

going to put up BMS." I go, "Oh, what's a burm? I never knew what a burm was."

So they have not put up BMS and I do a little research and like I'm thinking urban and regional design environmental noise mitigation should be something that is easy to implement and gene I'll say right here in front of everyone I will volunteer to buy 20 trees you know why let's get some vegetation going you know so that's an easy thing I was I'm regretful that it has not been included and that I have to

you know that we have to actually argue for this. So the third point I want to make and this is about noise. So that this particular night May 4th to May 5th. So I notice on the project plan it said the weaver's cove will be reserved for light maintenance. And so I would like to ask the people involved and that would be Eugene and everyone else. I want to know operationally what is the

distinction between light maintenance and major maintenance? So, hm is what I experienced on May 4th to May 5th, is that light maintenance or is that major maintenance? It went on all night with decibel levels, you know, I I mean, it even went over 60. So, I would like a really, you know, something that a lawyer could look at and say, hm, they crossed the line. That's major maintenance. Um, I think the in terms of

maintenance, and Gene, I mentioned this in the letter to you and to others, I can't see why maintenance has to be done in the middle of night at all. I mean, why does that have to be done? I mean, why can't we do maintenance if you're going to do it if it's light maintenance during the day? So, that this is my case. I um I'm obviously very upset about this. I do not like having to come

out in public to do this, but I I am going to take this as far as I'm just telling you I I will take this as far as it will go. I'm not going to sell my home. I need to work. I need to make a living. I have serious health conditions, right? Um and this has got to I need help. I we need to work on this. So, thank you. Thank you so much,

doctor. Like I did I talked to you today and I'm glad you showed up and uh invented here, but you're not doing you're doing more than venting. more than that. Exactly. Arguing for for for what I think is is a very well um you know very important issue for for not just you everybody around that area neighborhood and we're going to have some answers tonight as well. We'll also um have some answers as well for

Thursday as um there there is a meeting on Thursday at Morton High School, Morton Junior High, Morton Middle um and they'll have a lot of answers as well.

Um so we will absolutely be talking discussing that tonight but also on Thursday as well. So thank you and I'll be in touch as well. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. Thanks for listening folks. We're going to get to Could you leave your phone number? Uh oh yeah, please leave your phone number for me please. Oh yes.

Um, also too for uh item number two, is there a motion to approve the minutes?

Approve minutes. Uh, seconded. All in favor? I I uh also before we invite the uh uh some of the folks up here right now, I did want to mention that um uh Mr. Craig Ducher, the legislative aid for Steve Olette is here. Thank you for coming, sir. And also I did hear from the other representatives uh Carol Fiola, Alan Sylvia that uh they were not able to make it here tonight. Um but

they uh I know Carol is busy with her meeting on Thursday to discuss these these particular issues as well. So be having said that I'm going to bring up uh uh Mr. AA Chief Jean, you want to come up as well? U and JT come on up.

Thanks for coming. I appreciate it.

So, if we could all just go around from here to introduce ourselves, please. Uh, Richard Aguar, director of emergency management, chief of special services.

Jeffrey Bacon, fire chief. Jean Fox, South Coast Rail. JT deputy chief of operations. Deputy chief. Uh, Mr. A, why don't we, uh, start with you? We go over the, uh, the resution in it entirey. Oh, I'm sorry. Right. Okay. And we're here based on the uh resol Where is that? Uh James resolution. Oh, okay. There it is. Okay.

Uh committee on public safety convened with representatives from the MBTA, city of Fall River, and any other interested parties to discuss safety and noise concerns around the commuter rail. Uh tonight we're going to be discussing that as well. But we also have a another uh important um me uh point to issue to discuss with Mr. You want to go up? Yep.

Okay. Absolutely.

To do a PowerPoint.

Good evening everyone. Um once again uh my name is Richard Aguia. I'm the director of emergency management for the city of Florida River. Um so emergency management we mitigate a situation before it happens and what we did was we have a plan for the north end um if we have to evacuate the north end if we have a train derailment. We feel as though it won't be a major situation if it should

happen. Uh but we want to have plans in place just in case it does happen. Um the plan consists of a large plan um collaboration with fire, police, EMS. Um June 10th, we're going to all meet together and we're going to sit down and discuss everyone's response to the emergency. Um so emergency management, LPC, fire department, we're leading that. Chief Bacon, uh we're leading that

um that meeting. So emergency management our mission is to mitigate a problem before it should happen uh protect the cit river and the the plan consists of a lot of different stuff okay go ahead Rob um continue on continue on okay so I have copies of all of this stuff everyone wants to take it as well so the evacuation plan is going to tell you exactly what to do if you have to

evacuate the north end for any particular reason. Okay. Uh Mr. Klein is in the back. I do one for his school, St. Michael school. Um so he knows what this is all about.

Um so the plan will discuss different things, what to do, where to go.

Um go bags. Continue on. Continue on. Continue on. Okay. So, MIMA requires us to do a form such as this and send this to MIMA. Uh, and any plan we do, we do many evacuation plans for the city. I have uh probably 82 places where I have to do evacuation plans such as this. Um, the primary evacuation area for the city is um mash county is BCC other Jeffy High School uh

used to be BCC. We changed it and it's the Mayo Center on Bay Street. Um so we usually go down to the mayo center on Bay Street. Um if we have to evacuate any part of the city um if indeed you have to be evacuated um schools, daycare centers, we have an agreement with the bus companies and the bus companies will do the transporting to those facilities and if you need to be transported to a hospital

um will transport you to the hospital.

So that's just a j a basic form you have to send. Okay.

Um so this this is describing now the evacuation zones in the city for the north end.

If if you live evacuation zone one which uh one two or three I'm I'm going to share what they are.

Um evacuation one will be Morton Middle School. Two was going to be St. Joseph School in Hood Street. Every three is BC um DMC Derby High School and uh four uh five is going to be Sylvia School Meridian Street. Six is going to be Meridian Street as well.

Continue on. Seven is going to be Sylvia School.

Some of these are repetitious these schools because it's in the same evacuation area. Okay, if you understand that. And 11 and 10 school. Okay, go ahead Robbie.

Uh continue on. That's we don't need that. Okay. So, evacuation area one. I know. So, here's South Coast Rail here. So, if we're going to evacuate a particular area, okay, this area here will go to the school that was indicated. And I have I I have all this stuff. Whoever wants to copy this stuff, I prepare to copy some.

Okay. A short version of the plan.

So area that's area one area two. Now how we do this we do this with my plot and we do this with a plume and the plume tells us where the evacuation zone will be. So south coast rail. So some of these layers may be repetitious but it just gives you an area who has to go where als you know all these particular areas right in here will go to St. Joseph school. Okay.

Next uh area three will be different high school. This will encompass a larger area only because the train tracks go a large area along this whole area. So this whole area may have to be evacuated. It may not have to be evacuated. Um in most cas we're going to give out the order to shelter in place.

Um and this may be you know it it the train carries diesel so it's not likely they're going to have an explosion or a major fire. Right, Chief?

Yeah. Well, we also have the uh yeah, the chemical trains that come through the city, the freight trains in the middle of the night that come through the city. That's where I'd be more concerned about these evacuations. I don't think we'd be evacuating uh based on what's on a passenger train. No, but this so so um mass coaster train comes through these areas as well and they carry chemicals to Bonnie Remington and

on uh Water Street. So, the evacuation will definitely be um put into place if we have to evacuate it because of those areas.

Okay. So, the same thing um with this area here. Here's the train, right? And that's evacuation area. And so, Mass Coaster will be the main concern. Uh we've never So, Mass Coast Mass Coaster, we always had an evacuation plan. We never really put it into play because um South Coast Rail was never um never came to the city. But now we decide to do it for both um South Coast Rail and uh Mass

Coaster. So evacuation five. So we could continue on with this, but every evacuation area will have um the zone where to go to. So we don't have to continue on with this because it's it's all in the book what I can hand out. Um evacuation once again the train tracks and this is evacuation area. It compasses are the schools, nursing home, daycare centers. This is the 20 street area right here of the north end right in

here. Um, so school once again. This is a Wilson Road area right in through here. There's a train tracks down and through here. So this is a uh evacuation eight.

This is down way down the north end of the city.

uh train tracks here. This again North Main Street. This this is a highly area.

This is down towards uh four winds and all that area of Roland Green. All that area down there.

Uh so this is another evacuation area.

This is down towards Ellis Street way down north end right in through here.

They have to evacuation. So once again, this a lot of this stuff may not apply to South Coast Rail, but because we do have South Coast Rail now, Mim required me to do this evacuation zone. So I had to do this because Mim required me to do this. I think that's it for that. Okay, one more. So that's it. Um, so this agreement's response, this is for the fire department and and

police and EMS. So, um, that's the spiel about the north end evacuation. If in fact, um, we have to evacuate, we're going to ask you to shelter in place, not to leave your homes until it's in the command tells you to leave, depending on the situation. Any questions?

Yes sir.

So, most of the track in the north end is one rail. Um, I I didn't see anything where the commercial traffic versus the PTA, how do they coordinate when one passes versus the other? So, I think Jean can answer that question. I knew you were going to pass that. Um, the the commuter rail train has priority at all times. And you'll notice along the line where it is single track and it is

continuously welded, we do have sidings so freight can pull over um and get out of the way for commuter rail traffic.

But also, commuter rail traffic is less frequent, at least right now. So, we've been coordinating with them since January when we started really running the test trains in earnest and or turned it over to Kiola's dispatch because they were dispatching as well. Um, and we that that dispatch is now coordinated through Kias and railroad operations with Mass Coastal Railroad and again

commuter rail trains will always have priority.

Thank you. You're welcome. Just on just on that Jean. Yeah. um with Mass Coastal. They are leasing from MBTA. The tracks you own. We own MBT owns the tracks. MB these are MBTA tracks. Now, they're actually mass dot rail and transit tracks that are being turned over to the MBTA and Kiololis is the operator and and Mass Coastal will have an operating agreement with the MBTA to operate. Okay, that's how it works. They

had an operating agreement with Mass DOT and that'll just switch. It'll be the same agreement pretty much. you know, they're responsible for certain things and they um they they're kind of beholden to what the state says they can have for availability, but where we've done all these upgrades, I think you want you're going to want to see or freight will want to see some expansion.

Yes, exactly. And they should. Yeah. And just piggybacking what Anthony said, but as far as the um uh because Chief, I agree the diesel or the uh the MBTA's trains are are not it's the concern is the other um uh the cargo, correct? How often are they going into that particular area in I guess I'm assuming board in Remington and Yeah, twice a week so far. That's what it's been recently. And I think they've been going

in the in and off MBTA hours. Yeah, always. Yeah, they were working only nights for quite a while. Yeah, I think I heard one come through about 2 in the morning earlier this year. That would have been terrible, but um yeah, it happens. So, but they have they have been working around the MBTA schedule and they don't run frequent service.

It's It's typically been on the Fall River line Monday, Wednesday, and New Bedford's Tuesday, Thursday. And sometimes you get a Friday. Okay. Two usually two days a week. Yep. Okay. All right. Thank you. In this folder also, sheltering in place, it explains what to do if you have to shelter in place. So that's that's in that folder as well. Go ahead, Robbie. Oh, that's just the shelter's

place stuff. So continue. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Okay. So the go bag go up. So if in fact what I would do with everyone no matter what the north den should have a go bag ready to go um just in case um you have to leave your property um this is the stuff you should have um that's also on that in that folder um it's good to have it just in

case no matter what the situation is um but um once again south coast rail may never be a sit problem but the uh mass coastal is a problem for us. But um if in fact you need to evacuate, we should have all that stuff. And that's that's it for me.

Okay. I have a question. So this is well done obviously. Um uh so how uh how is it distributed uh to you know how long is it and what forms is it distributed to the community? So I have I mean the copies that's that's fine. Yeah. So, um, what what I just did, the goal the goal with this is to have as many people as possible educated, but I can put this

on the the city website as well. I'll have to talk to the um, have we done any um, within that vicinity, any mailings or anything like that? No, because this is the first meeting that we've had. Do you plan on doing it? I plan on doing all that stuff because I think that would be helpful if people received a, you know, a postage stamp. and a labor to get everything all done. But u I

think that would be even more valuable.

People can keep it. They can put it in their drawer. They can read it over. Um so, God forbid nothing like this is ever going to happen. Um hopefully, but no, the main key is to get this out so people see it. You know, I have 20 copies that I made of just this here. Um this whole plan encompasses fire department police. So, it's not important to the to the public, but this

is important. Everybody can grab on these when they leave. Yes. Okay. So, yeah. I'm sorry. Even Yeah, I know that you have the copy. So, even if for instance, they uh did a you know an announcement uh know you hear the emergency announcements on the radio.

Yeah. Bomb bomb just you don't have to I mean don't mimic that maybe but a public announcement that uh not of course not this long but um just to articulate what where the locations are just in case something happens. So, so I think that would be helpful. As G knows, we've been working on these, not this particular plan, but emergency plans for the railroad for the past what, two and a

half years, two years, more than that.

So, we've been on I've been on that safety committee. Yep. So, we went through all this stuff. We thought of all the things that we have to do for the public. So, this is just the um beginning of all this process now. And um because the railroad um is just getting gone and we had, as you know, it took so long to get the thing going. Um so we didn't want to move forward too

fast but now the rail was in place. Um this is the first step second step. Uh June 10th uh we're having a tabletop meeting here um with all public safety people who were involved collaborate how we're going to respond what we're going to do. I mean in public safety we all know our own jobs but unifying command we have to get together. This is what we're going to do when you get there and

treat. My my point is dissemination.

Dissemination elderly high-rise. Yeah.

Um yeah, places like that where people um necessarily don't watch this channel.

Um yeah, I mean that is the most important thing in my in my mind.

Dissemination of information. Yeah. The problem is communication is a big thing as you know in dissemination of information. So we got to figure out how we want to get out to the public to the north end. Um put probably put it in their tax bill, something like that. We could do something like that. I don't know how we're going to do it. I wouldn't say that. The re Yeah. The

reality is is that um in in an emergency uh we don't want people just heading out either. So this information if there is an emergency, you will know what to do because you will be directed what to do.

In all likelihood, we don't want we don't want a mass evacuation of a bunch of people happening. It'll create chaos for everybody. That's a good point. So this information is good as just this information is good for hurricanes, for any natural disasters, wildfires, right?

But if there is an emergency, the last thing we want people doing is just saying, "Oh, I'm going to go to Morton because that's that's what they told me to do." That's not what we want because 99% chance no one's going to have to go anywhere. Right. Correct. And it would and when we're try if there is an actual emergency and we're trying to move resources in and and out if we have

injured patients, the last thing we want is clutter on the roads. So I think the best advice for anybody is to remain in place. Certainly learn how to shelter in place, but that's good for anything. And then you will be you you don't have to sit there and wonder what should I be doing. We we will have police officers and firefighters and people from other communities will be going to these

neighborhoods to say, "This is what we need you to do. This is your timeline.

This is how we're going to get you there and this is what that's what I was looking for." Yeah. That's that's ultimately the best advice. Um and so we find we find that, you know, we don't want people just scattering and heading to these places because you might get to Morton, nobody's there. Yeah. And you might be in a worse place at that point, right? I I think that's important. We

always shelter in place until we told you to leave if you have to leave. Yeah.

And most of the time they're going to shelter in place. Stay where you are.

And that's that's universal. You don't go anywhere until we tell you to leave.

And um Okay.

So the plan hadn't been put together um because we have a risk response book for the city and we had to put that as an addendum into the book. Uh MIMA looks at they approve it. So that's why we had to do this plan. Um will we ever have to use the plan? probably not u but it leaves us there. We have to use it.

I'll just as a statement I'm realize probably the only question I may have tonight but the main thing I want to glean from tonight's meeting is quality of life issues for the the nice lady out there who u because that's the calls I'm getting y um so I'd like to hear what remediation's going to occur. Um I I really don't want to see a lawsuit filed by a group of citizens and maybe that's

do. So, I'm looking for some specifics because I know this has happened before in other communities. I mean, there's tighter communities throughout the state where the train runs through and they're going for something similar. So, that's good. I'm I'm going to just pay attention. Okay. So, thank you. But once again, um you have that plan in place just in case something should happen. Um

it may never happen, but at least we have plans in place in case to follow.

That's all. Yes, sir. Thank you everybody for your time. Thank you.

In the event of an incident, are all cell phone users going to get a message?

Is the governor going to come on channel 7? What is the process of the notification? So, if something happens um closer to the golf course, I live closer to the station. I'm supposedly in the evacuation area. How do I know that there's an emergency? So, we're going to have a command center set up in case something should happen and all information be disseminated from the command center. Um, but but the incident

should happen right there and then we'll notify channel 10, channel 12, channel 6, s um cable TV, local TV in the city.

So, the information will get out of there or we'll get out right away. So, we and the police will go around probably warning everybody once again, shelter in place, don't leave until we tell you to leave. We have resources available through uh the state police as well like you'd see for like an Amber Alert, that type of alert that would come up on your phone. Um we also still have a reverse 911 system intact.

So we'll able to get that information out. And of course social media, I think in the 21st century is probably one of the most effective tools to to either put the truth out or not the truth, but we'll get it out there. People will be notified.

Yeah. And um just you know kind of piggybacking to what councelor Kilby brought up. I mean you know we had this meeting a few a couple months ago um and I thought a lot got done as well but having it out in like you know the neighborhood so to speak is even better.

Um so I think that's kind of why we had this meeting tonight and I do think that you know I do agree that I don't think that we we're going to have those kinds of issues but if we do that's why we put this together. That's why you guys are here to explain that to the public. And I think it's very very important because I think people are still it's new. It's

still new. It's a it hasn't been here in over 50 years. So, and it's a lot more uh powerful, a lot more faster how they travel. I mean, I remember to gene you you you know, it takes close to a mile for the train to stop. So, you know that and and it's not just the uh the public safety issue part of that is also just re reminding everybody to stay away from

the tracks. don't climb over the fence and, you know, have fun with it. Uh, it's it's it's just dangerous. It it doesn't have to be dangerous. It's very safe, but it can be dangerous. So, that's kind of why I like having these meetings as well, especially with the public safety folks. And if you guys wanted to add anything else in there as far as what we've got the uh what Mr.

Agia wrote up here and all the other folks that helped out with the uh with the report, do you want to just add anything else in it? And we're we're you know, we're safe. We're ready to go if anything something like that this bada catastrophy. Yeah, we've been working on this for a while. Exactly. Um and uh we have resources uh both through um the fire department here and the Bristol

County uh control where uh I think we've mentioned this in the past where MBTA provided a uh 900 over $900,000 worth of extrication and uh evacuation equipment to local fire departments. Um the Bristol County Fire Chiefs Association was responsible for allocating those and we have a plan together, a mutual aid plan to get as many of those resources to whichever community needs them as

quickly as possible. So, we're working on this. We we we uh it's it's uh it's not necessarily outside outside of the scope of things that we plan for in general. We have two major highways that come through the city that have always had the potential for mass casualty incident on them. Um so we are have always been prepared for this. Um we change our our strategy and tactics a little bit because of access but we uh

the the public is safe and god forbid something happens um we'll we'll get the job done and we'll protect them. Yeah, absolutely. WG anything else you want to add to that? I mean we're keeping a pulse on the calls for service just from a crime standpoint. So, as of the rail being open, we've only had nine calls for service. Somewhat, I would say, general calls for like a car accident

that occurred in the area of the train station. We only had one physical call, but we worked with uh the MPTA police uh transit police came down and we had a joint investigation in regards to a uh person that was on the train being unruly. It had resulted in an arrest, but other than that, it's been uh status quo. I did want to bring up one other thing that just reminded me of

something. the person the the car that went on the tracks that started from I think the tipsy tips and they went ended up in the um over the Brighton Street.

They went well over a mile. Well, there's a there's an area there where he entered or he or she entered and can we block that area off? I remember bringing that up at the time um with railroad operations that they need access to the tracks in certain points. Right. Y but I remember and I'll ask again suggesting at least a jersey barrier there so that the temptation would go away because

with Fall River you have no grade crossings. So if a car gets hung up on the tracks there's no way to exit the tracks. Free town has one. Okay. We have five has a lot of crossings. Yeah. We have five. But but the but that area a Jersey barrier because it was right and it's a big area big parking area I think. Right. Yes. And it's not well illuminated if I recall. So it could

have been a real mistake. Oh, it was a mistake. And we've had that happen several times at Berkeley. There's one one area there where tells you to take a right and you end up on the track. So right I will ask that again. Yeah, I think that's that's kind of a good And that was the tipsy. Which one? Seagull.

Tobogen. It was a seagull. Seagull.

Yeah, that's not a tobogen. Okay. Which was it tobogen, James? Okay. Okay. Yeah, but maybe get the jersey barrier to block that. That's what I had suggested. I'm I'm not an expert on this, but that at least public safety could move if they needed to. So could railroad operations for maintenance. So um okay, access point.

Thank you for mentioning that. And um I don't know maybe Gan if you want to bring up maybe some of the topics that the doctor Paul just I know I know it's going to be discussed a lot more on Thursday with all the experts. So my job was to get the sucker built. Did it?

Yay. Check the box.

Absolutely. But now it's all within the purview of Kiololis and Railroad Operations at the T. Um I want Dr.

Powell and everyone else who's communicated with me through the program to know that we're communicating these concerns directly to them. We have much more service than we initially proposed.

So that's part of it. But there's a lot more traffic. The um activity at Weaver's Cove is definitely more than we initially anticipated to simply because of all this traffic. The activities at Weaver's Cove should be light maintenance. And I'm glad you're gonna mention that. Right. What's the definition? Where's the Right. So, it is supposed to be cleaning. Anything minor, but they're also the last train landing,

you know, at 1:30, 2 o'clock in the morning, the first one getting ready to go at 4:00 4:30. It doesn't leave you a lot of time where it's quiet. So, they're aware of that and they will be looking at that and we'll be discussing that. So, I don't know what you can do to mitigate. You know, the BMS are one thing. The trees are one thing. Um, certainly worth looking at. I've made

them aware of that as well. So, all of these things are still out there. Again, this is a new service. The Commonwealth hasn't launched service like this in decades. So, it was embarrassing enough to have this bright new, beautiful, spanking, clean, beautiful train running and then in five days it didn't run because we didn't have people to ride to drive them. Right. Right. Right. But we

fixed that. So, so we're learning.

Everybody's learning and adjusting and and the reason for the increased traffic was based on demand that we had perceived over I I'm going to say the last like four or five years where people were saying it's great to have peak period trains, but we need to go up at different times of day. Um or I have a healthc care issue. I need to get to Longwood Medical Center. I really don't

want to go on Route 24. Can I take a train? And we didn't have a lot of options in there. So, we modified the schedule. for railroad operations has modified the schedule so that there's more midday traffic and and they amped I know I know you're supportive of that and they've amped up the weekend schedule. I think the biggest what I'm hearing and I don't know if if everyone else has heard the same what I'm hearing

is it's more those late night trains that are problematic for folks. You know you can make it through the day but it's the late night noise. So I can assure you that railroad operations and ciololis monitors ridership continuously and twice a year they tweak schedules but I think when we talk on Thursday night we ask about the kinds of activities that are happening. Your point is well taken that the Weaver's

Cove activity was not what we initially anticipated and you want to know precisely what that activity is and where. Yes, I get it. We we're doing hand signals now, but really what it is is what's the delineation between light maintenance and major because we have a major maintenance facility not far from here. Okay. And so one thing I would want to know at the meeting on Thursday

is when actual steps can be taken. Like I'm saying, I'm ready to order trees from Roseland this week to get your maintenance crew. I'll get them planted.

So, I don't want to wait until, you know, a year goes by. Well, the the wheels at the tea turn slowly. So, we have to be vocal and say our piece and that they'll be studying it. They already are very well aware. I have communicated these concerns and they haven't come just through my program inbox. They're going elsewhere. A lot of people are going to MBTA customer support wherever they can to make sure

their concerns are heard. The other concern is train horn noise which you have not indicated is a huge issue.

Momentary um well it's a lot at 2 o'clock in the morning but people need to understand that that's a federal requirement over which we have no choice. Um the other thing is they they they do sound at 90 dB those horns. Um, and the reason for that is they absolutely must be above ambient noise everywhere. Ambient noise in a city tends to be more than in the country.

But nevertheless, we still have significant trespassing issues. So these horns are not just for for motor vehicle drivers, but they're for also for animals, frankly. You know, if you hear that horn, you're going to dodge. Um, but it's the trespassing, too. So, it's for everybody. Um, and they're the way they sound the horn is almost always like they hit a marker on the tracks and it says, you know, sound horn now and

there's a there's a window like 20 seconds or at least a quarter mile something and they push a button and that pattern of the two longs, the short and the long just issues from the train.

The last horn, the last long blast is actually as it's going through a crossing, which you don't experience here, but you're not far from the first one. If you're in the north end, you're close to to Freetown, right? So, you're going to hear them. I hear them. Um those that's that's a mandate and and we can't change that. What communities can do is they can explore quiet zones, but that has to be coordinated with the

Federal Railroad Administration. It frequently involves grade crossing upgrades. Not necessarily, but frequently. Um it really has no bearing on you here in Fall River with no grade crossings. Um but it has come up elsewhere. What do we do? Well, the MBTA and Kias, neither one of them support them because horns save lives. Exactly.

And so I also too um I know that there my son goes to Bridgewater State, so they're crossing right on the line. So I Yeah, I see that there all the time. Um and they have to sound the horn uh what maybe a half mile before that crossing.

No, it can't be any less than a quarter mile. So So there's it depends on the speed of the train at the time. There's all these different variables, right? So the same thing goes here. you're coming into not not a crossing but the actual station. So they have to blow the water.

They do and we still have people out on the right ofway working. Um you'll still see people doing some they're still putting the the heaters in the blowers.

Got to get them in before winter. So they're still doing that. If there are workers on they're also going to blow the horn. Sure. So or if they see a trespasser they're going to blow the horn. If they have a a good linear line of sight they'll blow the horn then too.

Okay. So just a question here if this is allowed but um does it matter that the World Health Organization has you know a researchbased sciencebacked argument that u human health should be requires sounds that are not in excess of 40 dB.

Does that matter? Does it matter to this committee? Does it matter to like like that seems to me a fairly significant finding from the World Health Organization. So is there a way that takes takes that into account? We have to advance that. But the horn noise is is again a federal mandate and the volume right and so there's certain things that cannot be apparently health and safety

if I may I think the overriding issue um is death. Yeah. Is what death people. Uh I'm not so I'm not concerned about the train noise. I mean the the the the horns. So, let me be very very precise.

So, I know some people are concerned about that. Um, that does not impact I mean, you know, you wake up, you fall back asleep. What I'm concerned about is a train roaring like a a trailer truck for hours on end sitting and idling. Her concern is the idling. My apologies. I live at 2915 North Main Street and um My foundation of my wall definitely fall apart. I know the chronic um the rep

said he doesn't believe that but my wall was up to par until the vibration started. I live across the street and the continuing vibration that I hear at night definitely affects the quality of life. My bedroom's in the back and all I hear is all night long.

I have to use white noise on my phone when I do fall asleep. God forbid I have to take I have to go to the bathroom because once I go to the bathroom 3:00 in the morning, 4:00 in the morning, I can't go back to sleep. So, not what I I don't I have to go to the gym, right? I can't go back to sleep. I'm just um just laying in bed. I go

um the horn that's, you know, another problem with other people down the street. My family's concern, my neighbor's concern is the vibration.

There's four trains there. So, all four trains. The first train comes in I think around 5:00. I guess it has to run for two hours. Can that first train shut off? And then can the second train shut off? Can the third train shut off? And then we maybe it' be less vibration on the fourth train. Yep. I think that's absolutely all over one.

I hear you. I hear you. And I do think that's something that we'll have to be discussing when the the general manager, somebody from Kias, the chief operating officer is going to be down. They're they have the smarts on that. I don't um I hear what you're saying sounds logical to me. They may have a rationale that says different. I don't know. Um but I hear you. I think it is the idling noise

that you've mentioned several times and that that's your concern as well. I I think I think they they can probably come up with some kind of rationale and they'll have to look at it. Yeah.

Exactly. Go ahead, sir. I'm the principal St. Michael School. I have just questions about trespassers on the property. Um to my There's no fencing put up uh where the overpasses are uh going onto the property. I know I'm at the school. Um we see a lot of transient people go up and down. This is St.

Michael's. I'm sorry. St. Michael School. Yep. I know. Right where you are. We haven't in contacted I do want to acknowledge, you know, Chief Aar.

He's in constant contact with us on emergency preparing this uh plans and such. So, I do want to acknowledge the fire department, but we haven't heard anybody from this the railroad system contact us. I actually wrote to you several times um suggesting that we do an Operation Lifesaver event there with the kids. I I if you go on I can forward some of those emails. I've written several times because I think in the

schools especially this is how you get the message out. Um and I really did want to get in there just I even have some swag you know I mean but I mean getting in there swag always they listen for swag but the children listen. I use some state reps because we have an issue with the overpass. It's been hit probably once a month. Uh there's no height on it and they did the clearance.

They finally put a clearance on it, but they put on the wrong side. It's one way. Oh, great. Uh and I've been working with, you know, some city councilmen on that. Uh we have again we have people going up and down. You do? I know the area. And I was we were kept getting reinforced that fencing would be put in.

Uh you know, trees would be trimmed and things, but we haven't seen anything.

We see we hear the horn and again I know there's different issues depending on night time. Ours is daytime. The horn is going off every half an hour. Every time the train goes by time go the train goes by. If we're doing standardized testing or some kind of components u we have a classroom within 5t of property line. I can touch it if I stretch my arms out.

Oh, I've been out there. I know. I know what you're saying. And again, you may have reached out. I haven't received it.

Maybe went to another person. U we did send it several times. I'll find it. I'd love to do that to have um to come in and talk to the children. Um I know it's you probably are you finished with MCCAST yet? I mean that that was or they don't take Oh, I forgot they don't have to deal with that. The public school's not done yet. I didn't think so. But anyway, I'm still happy to come in.

There's a whole team of people happy to do it. So, uh maybe if you could just jot down your email because there's always the possibility I have it wrong.

And I think too um what we can do is uh um if there's any other nothing else on the agenda. Oh, go ahead. I just want to say what? So um one reason I was kind of I think many of us are surprised, but this is um we had the November 2020 project report that was sent out by email by Jean Fox.

One one reason I'm so surprised and maybe other people too, but I haven't mentioned this before on the operations project plan. It says when trains arrive at the end of the day, the engines are fully turned off or plugged into a power source. Yeah. And I really I by the way that has often not happened. The trains are left running and running and running. So I was not concerned when I

saw this project. I thought, "Wow, I'd never crossed my mind that I would have to be concerned about noise at night because I thought the engines were fully turned off." And here we find that we're all sitting here talking about quality of life issues. The engines are not fully turned off. No, a lot of the time.

So, I guess you're this is getting to be taken care of. Well, it it absolutely needs to be addressed because that was we were under the same impression given the traffic we were going to have. The the theory is they'd come in, shut down in the cold weather, you could plug them in because remember the fear is diesel engines freeze, but even if it gets below like 10 degrees, they're going to

idle. I never knew that till this year.

Um, evidently that's the Kias protocol.

If it gets below 10°, they're going to make them run anyway because even the plugins will will not do the job. That's their own experience. So that's translate. And we had a couple of those nights. So those I know for those nights and I think you may have may have written to me on one of those but um several people did I had no idea right they said well it it reached that

temperature threshold which we haven't really had a lot of in in recent winters so um it was new but that's what they've been doing when it gets that cold so we'll have to ask those questions because I came in with the same understanding they shut them down they clean them out and then in the morning yes they start before service you got to make sure they're ready to go um but

yeah I Period. That and they're all going at once to your point. Yes.

All right. Well, um I'm going to make a any uh No, I just thought it was very Yeah. Good meeting. I think there'll probably definitely be more information on Thursday when you have state officials down. I think you'll be able to get more answers than just the locals. Um except for Miss Fox. So, local I I will say this, you're everywhere. I I will say this as just the public safety committee of the city.

Um and it we we like to keep it absolutely local. Um but Jean has been uh as far as I know has been the MBTA person of the of this area. So you she has done a marvelous incredible job. So my hats are off to you. Thank you. Um and also too I I think that the all our public safety folks at the table uh have have this uh to present tonight I feel

very comfortable with it. Um I think uh I know obviously knock on wood nothing like that's going to happen but if it does I think we're very prepared to do it and I thank everybody here for attending tonight. Uh we'll and the questions that you had I after this meeting I'd be glad to uh talk to talk to you about those as well and myself and Mr. Kilby. Um, but uh, you know,

having said that, I I did forget to mention Senator Rodri's uh, did say he was unable to make it tonight, but I'm I'm sure they'll be there Thursday. But I also wanted to, uh, a special really big shout out and thank you to Chief Bacon, uh, Chief Aguar, and all the folks here at the fire department for having this meeting. It's a really good venue to have, and of course, Deputy

Chief as well. And, uh, yep, everybody here today. I really appreciate everybody, uh, being here for the, uh, for the meeting. It's a very very important issue. So is there to thank um Jean for um hooking up EMS with the hands-on training for the we all got our everybody who wanted to go a chance to go and yay do the hands-on training which was really important. Now when was that I can't I can't hear you. Yeah.

Sorry. It was about a month ago right after our last public safety meeting.

Some additional hands-on training is what she was saying. Some additional hands-on training. Everybody got to climb into the uh hingen and use a little tiny ladder and get up into there and okay realize how high high the steps are when you're trying to get some. But it gives you a perception of what you have to look for and deal with and the aisle weight in the train is too small

for our extrication chairs. So we got to try an inch I heard. Yeah, by an inch which so um getting people off the train. They're trying to work on some sort of piece of device that will help us to get I'm sure we're not reinventing the wheel. No. No. Exactly. Well, that's good to know. I I'm glad you mentioned that because that's something that uh hadn't been mentioned. So, Right. Yeah.

So, that's what came from the training.

That's why it's important to And now will that will you will there be periodic trainings for We're actually working with um the uh Let me turn around. Maybe turn around. Oh, I'm sorry. We're actually working with the uh the Foxboro dispatch center and trying to figure out some strike teams for our ambulance force because if we have an incident with the train, we still have to keep the wheels

of the city running, so to speak. So, we've been working with uh Foxboro um central dispatch and trying to figure out logistics and some of the smaller towns like Freetown has two ambulances.

So, if they have a big issue there, what resources can we devote to them? So, we're really trying to kind of work on the best way to make sure that we can take care of everyone in the area and still maintain the 80,000 people in Fall River, make sure that they get the services that they need.

It's like Chief Chief Font said, was not only hands-on training, we had online training as well. So, that was the first step. You had those online training, pass the online training. uh if you was certified through the online training, then you could do the um actual hands-on training on the train. So, it was a two-part um project and um it was very interesting as she said of uh public

safety, public safety officials who was going to respond to a training emergency.

Excellent.

Uh motion motion to adjurnn. Uh sec seconded.

Oh, sorry. Yeah, we should motion a table, please. I second that. All in favor? I motion to adjurnn. Seconded. All in favor? I. Thank you everyone. Thank you very much.