Comment EI-23014
Received or sent (printed as 5/26/2016)
I am a current resident of Lowell, Indiana, in Lake County. My husband is a disabled bedbound veteran who requires medical attention on a regular basis and due to his declining health has required emergency medical attention on a regular basis. We are seriously opposed to the rail line project as it will seriously affect my husband's (as well as anyone needing immediate medical attention)emergency medical care. The rail line will cross Rt.2 and block access to 55 and 65 which is cutting off access to ANY and ALL nearby hospitals. As an Indiana Firefighter and EMT, there are no alternate hospital routes to bypass this proposed line. Rt 2 and 55 are designated hospital routes of 1 NO PASSING LANE in each direction and receive first attention during snow storms, which we do get hit hard with snow. Interstate 65 is shut down during high wind and white out conditions further delaying transportation of the critically ill. All the other streets come second and are not city blocks" but miles between cross streets and not cleared first. We don't have the manpower to clean all streets, but which ones come first? Not only would ANY ambulance have to WAIT for a train to cross, there are no alternates as ALL the hospitals are north and east of the proposed line. So with all the traffic congestion this line would create with just cars, there are also many school buses and trucks servicing all of our local businesses. How are the emergency vehicles supposed to get through all of this? In case of fire or rail accident, the departments only have 1 house and many of them are volunteer, so someone has to get to the station for equipment, the rail line will not allow them to get to it, delaying or stopping response time, putting life at risk. As a Hazmat Technician, NONE of first responders here have ANY knowledge, experience or education in Emergency Prepardness to handle ANY type of rail incident. This is RURAL AMERICA, not a metro area with funding to hire and educate the number of needed responders. The Police department and current officers will face the same. Since Lake County has already "realined" the 911 system, many officers are being called to respond to unfamiliar areas and now they will have to try to go around train and vehicular traffic? Even the Indiana State Police Station is located east of the proposed line. Don't you think the "bad guys" are watching this? They are going to plan accordingly because they will realize there will be little or no emergency response to help us therefore they have more than enough time to hit and run. This rail line will be cutting off all access to emergency response. All emergency response is going to be cut off at the knees putting all residents lives and safety at risk. This proposed rail line needs to be stopped! Just say NO!"
Submitted by: Susan Vogias
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35952/comment/EI-23014 · back to the docket sheet