Agencies in Hopkins staged a train-SUV collision to practice extrication, patient care and cross-jurisdiction coordination before the new Green Line Extension begins service.
Three city fire departments and Metro Transit agencies staged a mock train-SUV crash Sept. 14 in Hopkins to rehearse rescue, extrication and multi-agency coordination.
The Green Line Extension’s route crosses multiple jurisdictions and difficult access points (bridges, tunnel, marshy areas), so agencies are running specific exercises including an October Kenilworth Tunnel drill.
Metro Transit logged 31 mishaps on the Green Line in the past three years and will announce the Green Line Extension opening day at a Louisiana Avenue Station event.
# What happened A mock collision between a light-rail train and an SUV was staged Sept. 14 at 17th Avenue and S. 5th Street in Hopkins, Minn. The exercise simulated injured passengers on a train and two motorists trapped in a badly mangled Nissan Pathfinder. The scenario aimed to give fire, EMS and police practical experience responding to a complex rail incident before the Green Line Extension begins service.
# Who participated
# What crews trained on Responders practiced standard crash and rail-incident tasks: using hydraulic rescue tools to extricate trapped vehicle occupants, applying backboards and providing on-scene medical care for minor to major injuries, and opening rail-car doors to reach passengers.
Actors portrayed injured riders and a Metro Transit employee, Kristen Fritz, simulated a passenger whose mobility scooter tipped and required assistance. The exercise used realistic cues such as bells and crossing lights to mirror conditions at actual crossings.
# Why the drills matter now Extension (also called the Southwest LRT) will introduce light-rail service through west-metro areas where many local agencies have limited prior rail-response experience. The line includes challenging access locations: bridges, marshy terrain and the 2,200-foot Kenilworth Tunnel. Those conditions can slow access and complicate rescues, so drills focus on staging, parking, approach routes and how multiple jurisdictions work together.
Aaron Morris, Minnetonka's assistant fire chief, framed the exercises as opportunities to learn how Metro Transit Police and municipal agencies operate together so responses are smoother when the line carries passengers.
# Upcoming exercises and opening plans Metro Transit plans an October exercise inside the Kenilworth Tunnel to build experience responding within enclosed rail tunnels. The agency will announce the Green Line Extension opening day at a public celebration at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Louisiana Avenue Station, 6610 Oxford Street, St. Louis Park. That event will include speakers, rail car tours and family activities.
# Practical implications for responders and the public
# Bottom line The Hopkins drill combined vehicle extrication, rail passenger care and cross-agency coordination to prepare local responders for incidents that could occur once the Green Line Extension opens. Additional exercises, including a tunnel scenario, will continue building hands-on experience across the agencies that will respond to rail emergencies.
Green Line extension trains will start service in 2027. On Saturday, Metro Transit will tell us when.
During the drill at CVG Airport, 150 volunteers were staged at two simulated crash sites with pretend but realistic injuries.
Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport conducted a full-scale emergency exercise Saturday, a drill required every three years to help prepare for potential aircraft emergencies.
Officials said the drills were designed to mirror real emergencies and prepare responders for environmental and logistical challenges that can follow a water rescue or maritime incident.
When there's a fire, you want a trained and experienced team to respond. To make sure their crews are up to snuff, four local departments held a live-fire training exercise.
When there's a fire, you want a trained and experienced team to respond. To make sure their crews are up to snuff, four local departments held a live-fire training exercise.
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