THE SAFETY OF METRO

The safety of Metro (Washington DC/ DMV area)

The safety of Metro (Washington DC/ DMV area)

This paper presents the fire safety features for metro tunnels of Washington DC/ DMV area. After a short introduction showing the specificity of the metro transportation, it deals with the standard and usage. A detailed analysis of structural conditions, safety equipment and response to fire is carried out, showing some differences between networks within the same country and between countries.

Introduction

Compared to the road and rail tunnels, the Metro is very different for the two other underground transportation modes. The scale of each network is a town and suburbs, and not a country like for road or rail transportation. Usually the metro concerns mainly urban sites and tunnels, sometimes suburban lines. So the Transport Authority is usually the Town and not a Country; for that reason the need for standard was less important.

DC locality Airspace Operations Before September 11, 2001

Before the attacks of September 11, 2001, airplane operators in the Washington, DC nationwide Capital Region (NCR) were subject to the General functioning and air travel directions comprised in 14 CFR part 91, including directions for procedures in Class B airspace. Additionally, airplane operators were not permitted to go in the prohibited localities currently designated under 14 CFR part 73 for portions of the locality of Columbia, encompassing the White dwelling, the U.S. Capitol construction, and the U.S. Naval Observatory.

DC locality Airspace Operations After September 11, 2001

In direct answer to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the FAA implemented many temporary air travel restrictions (TFRs) across the United States in the interest of nationwide security under 49 U.S.C. 40103(b)(3). citizen aerodromes in the NCR were closed to commercial and general aviation operations while protecting against and regulation enforcement bureaus assessed the risk of further terrorist activity. In supplement, a 25-nautical-mile-radius (NM) TFR locality, expanding from the exterior to 18,000 feet round Washington, DC, was established. Eventually, financial air travel activities were permitted to resume in graduated stages, and in December 2001, the 25-NM-radius TFR around Washington, DC was reduced to an roughly 15-NM radius centered on the Washington, DC very high frequency omni-directional range/distance assessing equipment (DCA VOR/DME).

After 2001, as part of its homeland protecting against operation, the North American Aerospace Defense order (NORAD) was administered to expand its air defense operation to include combat air patrols throughout the joined States, focusing mainly on major towns and major aerodromes. This expanded U.S-Canada bi-national household protecting against objective is renowned as procedure Noble Eagle (ONE). In 2003, as part of the nation's groundwork for the conflict in Iraq, DHS started an operation called procedure Liberty protect to enhance homeland security. In support of that start, the FAA, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), and other Federal bureaus, implemented TFRs around Washington, DC, New York town, and Chicago. The restrictions round New York town and Chicago were later rescinded when Homeland Security Advisory scheme (HSAS) risk grades ...