Dealing With Stress After Rail Accidents

* Re “Trauma Program for Rail Engineers Debated,” Jan. 10.

This article discussed a vital issue that is often ignored by the media and the community at large: the cumulative stress effects of rail accidents on locomotive engineers.

Because the article presented several strong points of view, I believe Amtrak’s position in responding to this important employee need may not have been fully and accurately represented.

Amtrak’s Critical Assistance and Response to Employees program was designed in 1998 by a partnership of union and employee assistance program representatives to create a rapid and comprehensive response to traumatic stress reactions that may be experienced by engineers involved in critical incidents on the job.

Although we rely on peers as the first, immediate line of intervention, engineers are also contacted by our professional staff of employee assistance counselors and referred for follow-up treatment if the employee or counselor feels it is indicated.

In cases where several employees are involved in a traumatic incident, our professional staff also conducts group debriefings at the job site. Although we have stopped just short of making this intervention and follow-up treatment mandatory, we strongly endorse providing engineers with every means of preventing and addressing the physical and emotional problems that can accompany post-traumatic stress.

EFFIE BASTAS

Manager, Employee

Assistance Program

Amtrak