Pompano Beach Firefighters Prep For Something They Hope They Never To Face: Train Vs. Car Scenario

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Firefighters in Pompano Beach got the chance to train for a situation they said is realistic but hope they'll never have to face: A train versus a car.

"It's a very realistic scenario where a train hits a vehicle on a track and then there's some hazmat situation," said Don Desmond, the training commander for Pompano Beach Fire Rescue.

The training took place on Wednesday morning on the train tracks off Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard near Andrews Avenue in Pompano Beach.

The scenario was complete with an already-crashed car from the junkyard, volunteers who played the role of patients stuck on the train, and real firefighters and equipment.

"Safety is our number one priority. Nothing beats being out on the field with a live simulation of all of the different incidents that can occur on a track," said Steven Abrams, the Executive Director of Tri-Rail, which partnered with Pompano Beach Fire Rescue for Wednesday's training.

The simulation required multiple other agencies to be called out, which Desmond said is a tool to help everyone involved with communication. Firefighters were required to work with train staff to get "injured" patients off a smoky train and quickly triage anyone who needed medical attention.

"This is the classic case of better to be prepared," said Abrams, who pointed out how safe it is to ride on a train.

"Hopefully, we will not have to use any of this training. But, in the event we do, we're going to be able to rely on this training in order to respond to incidents."