Amtrak Creates Emergency Management Department
Also responsible for corporate security strategy, the new department consolidates eight emergency management-related functions now located in various departments.
Amtrak announced it is creating a new emergency management and corporate security department to consolidate existing company-wide efforts and more effectively prepare for emergencies and disasters, mitigate them when they occur, and respond and recovery more quickly.
"The new team will identify opportunities to strategically coordinate, train, and put into practice consistent and efficient response and recovery efforts to better ensure the safety and security of our customers and employees," said Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman.
The passenger railroad company currently has eight emergency management-related functions located in various departments. The new department's main focus is emergency preparedness, continuity of operations, and corporate security risk strategy. Susan Reinertson, who had overseen the Amtrak recovery and resiliency exercise program and continuity of operations planning, will lead the new department. She previously was acting executive director for FEMA's National Disaster Housing Task Force.
Amtrak is now 40 years old. It transported a record 30.2 million passengers during its 2011 fiscal year on more than 300 daily trains reaching 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces.