On 3-4 October 2024, the UIC Security Platform held a joint meeting of the Human Factors Working Group (HFWG) and the Crisis Management Working Group (CMWG) in Tallinn, Estonia, hosted by Estonian Railways (EVR) and attended by railway security experts from around the world.
The HFWG meeting focused on the de-escalation of aggressive behaviours, where Joana Faustino, British Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), discussed the effectiveness of body-worn cameras in reducing incidents of violence experienced by staff and passengers. Delphine Beatse and Fatiha Abbes Orabi, National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB), then provided information on their “Anti-Aggression Plan” which stresses prevention and training initiatives aimed at enhancing security. Grigore Havârneanu, UIC Security Division, highlighted a selection of results from the UIC Security Network of Quick Responders and the IMPRESS project training modules, which are also linked to de-escalation, and reminded the audience that the results are accessible by all UIC members through the UIC Rail Security Hub.
During the CMWG meeting, discussions centred on the organisation of training exercises. David Martins, Infraestruturas de Portugal, gave a presentation on the takeaways from their business continuity tabletop exercise, emphasising the importance of teamwork and continuous improvement. Paolo Cavaliere, Italian State Railways (FS), highlighted the importance of their collaboration with National Civil Protection. Armand Raudin, National French Railways (SNCF), also emphasised how involving multiple security stakeholders in such exercises fosters cooperation. Next, Munawar Khursheed, Railways Protection Force of India (RPF) shared how they employ both field exercises and simulations and finally, Marius Kupper, EVR, highlighted the specialised training and advanced simulation technologies that they use.
The following day, the participants observed a full-scale exercise organised by EVR involving local police, special police units, ambulance services, rescue teams, and Estonia’s largest hospital. The exercise simulated an attack on a passenger train near Tallinn, presenting a scenario with mass casualties and requiring multi-agency cooperation, including participation from the US Embassy.
