Braintree Hosts MBTA Emergency Evacuation Drill This Weekend

BRAINTREE, MA — The MBTA will host an emergency evacuation drill with a commuter rail train in Braintree this weekend.

The MBTA will conduct the drill on Sunday at about 10 a.m. in the area of the Grossman Drive Yard track.

This will have some impact on people in the area, who can expect "heightened activity" starting as early as 7 a.m. The drill itself is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Service on the Middleboro/Lakeville and Kingston Commuter Rail Lines during this exercise will operate on a regular schedule. All activity will take place on an adjacent track away from the main rail line.

"The exercise is designed to establish a learning environment for public safety officials to exercise emergency response plans, policies, and procedures as they pertain to a mass casualty event on a Commuter Rail train," officials said.

"To ensure an effective exercise, subject matter experts and representatives from numerous agencies took part in the planning process and will take part in the exercise conduct and evaluation."

As part of the exercise scenario, a train traveling on this section of track and carrying passengers will make contact with a vehicle at a grade crossing, causing it to derail.

Several passengers are injured, and others must evacuate the train in the scenario, officials said.

Agencies participating in the drill include the MBTA Railroad Operations, MBTA Transit Police, Keolis, CSX, Braintree Fire Department, Braintree Police Department, Quincy Fire Department, Quincy Police Department, Weymouth Fire Department, Fore River Railroad and Brewster EMS.