The Federal Railroad Administration recently announced $2 million in Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grants and $207,000 in Railroad Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grants.
According to a June 13 FRA news release, the purpose of the funding is to "fund law enforcement trespass prevention activities and educational outreach campaigns aimed at reducing railroad-related suicides on rail rights-of-way."
“No mission is more important than saving lives, and FRA is fully committed to supporting states and communities in the collective effort to prevent avoidable tragedies," FRA Administrator Amit Bose said in the release. “Through these grants, we will deter railroad trespassing and suicide through coordinated responses from a broad range of local organizations specializing in law enforcement, education and mental health.”
The funding will be aimed at states and specific communities in which railroad trespassing and suicide are more significant problems, according to the release. With this funding, the FRA is trying to decrease the 400 trespass fatalities which take place every year. Reportedly, there were more than 236 who died by suicide and 27 injured in suicide attempts annually within the rail system from 2016 to 2021.
These programs will work with local companies to make trespassing more difficult, the release reported. They will also get in contact with local communities to try to promote mental health and act in advance of an individual going out and trying to commit suicide.
