Honouring our Rail Safety Ambassadors

Operation Lifesaver Canada (OL) is on a mission to raise awareness about rail safety and save lives. But just as rail safety is a shared responsibility and everyone has a role to play, OL could never do the work we do as just a couple of folks in Ottawa.
 
We could never accomplish what OL does without our cross-Canada network of volunteers.
 
We’re a small but mighty group that consistently finds new and ever more effective ways to raise awareness and reach people wherever they are. This is a team effort. And our Rail Safety Ambassadors are a critical part of our successes to date.
 
They share the belief that every single railway trespassing or crossing-related death or injury can—and should—be prevented. We’ve built a movement dedicated to getting to zero—zero incidents, deaths, and injuries. While we’ve made good progress over the years, we still have work to do. And we won’t get there without our volunteers.
 
They are the face of Operation Lifesaver across the country. They dedicate countless hours volunteering their time to deliver rail safety presentations and take part in educational events and readings. They help bring our rail safety message to the public by sharing our posts and videos on social media. They put human faces to statistics and stories and reach people through their heads and their hearts.
 
Their involvement means that the resources we develop—from #STOPTrackTragedies, Look. Listen. Live. and Train to Drive videos, to tip sheets, safety quizzes, and more—are being put to the best use so that ultimately, we can get more Canadians to change their behaviour and do their part.
 
They’re helping prevent rail crossing and trespassing incidents—and saving lives.
 
Our Rail Safety Ambassadors never stop surprising us with their passion, commitment, and creativity. They are constantly looking for new and better ways to reach key audiences and increase awareness about rail safety. They spot concerning trends and find ways to counteract them.
 
It isn’t easy or glamorous work. Talking about railway crossing and trespassing incidents can be extremely difficult. And many of our volunteers are sharing their own personal stories of tragedy in an attempt to save other Canadians from the heartache and pain they have lived through. We thank them and salute them.
 
We need more Canadians to work with us to reach our goal of zero.
 
Over OL’s 43 years, we have made a lot of progress. Overall incidents are down despite a huge increase in population. Safety has improved. But we’re not yet at zero. There is still work to be done.
 
We feel very fortunate to accompany our Rail Safety Ambassadors on this journey. But we could always use more Canadians to join us.
 
If you aren’t a Rail Safety Ambassador yet, why not sign up today? Everyone has a role to play when it comes to preventing collisions at railway crossings and reducing the number of railway trespassing incidents. Whether by sharing OL’s posts on your social media networks, giving presentations in classrooms or volunteering at events, you can help—and we need you!
 
Chris Day
Interim National Director
Operation Lifesaver Canada
Catherine Henry
Manager, Communications & Outreach Operation Lifesaver Canada