Page 50 - Operation Lifesaver Estonia / Annual Report 2012

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© Operation Lifesaver is a international, non-profit education and awareness program dedicated to ending
tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way.
Founded in Estonia on 19 November 2004 - www.ole.ee
The end of the year and the beginning of the new
one is always the time for looking back and setting
goals for the future.
This also a wonderful time because during the busy
times it is hard to find the opportunity to enjoy what
has been done as there are already new projects
waiting. Often we notice only then that the year has
been so varied and interesting, as well as successful.
The year 2012 was also a success from OLE trainings’
perspective.
I am particularly glad that throughout the recent
years the number of volunteer OLE presenters
has always shown a stable growth. Similarly to
the two previous years, we organised in 2012 two
training courses for our presenters. The first course
was conducted in mid-April in the “Which Country”
located in Uhtjärve primeval valley of Võru County.
All the seven trainees came from South-Estonia but
from different walks of life. We had in our audience
police officers dealing with youth from the Southern
Police Prefecture, driving instructions and an
employee of the Estonian Road Administration. The
all had different prior experience with railway safety,
as well as different experience with conducting
training. This made the experience they shared
among themselves even more valuable. Our second
training took place in Altmõisa guesthouse located
in Western Estonia. Also this time we had seven
participants, six of them police officers dealing with
youth from the Western Police Prefecture and one
volunteer who later started to work for the Estonian
Rescue Board. The two training days were very
educating both for the listeners and trainers and
once again we could admit that everybody learned
from everybody. These two training courses added
to OLE’s presenters’ team 14 new presenters and I
am particularly glad that many of them started to
spread their knowledge right after completing the
course.
OLE made railway safety presentations and lectures
to approximately 5400 listeners from various target
groups. We held presentations in Schools, children’s
camps, youth centres, etc. While visiting trade fairs
our tent is often visited by children who say that
they have already heard about these issues at
school and, of course, they are very eager to test
their knowledge and answer to our questions. Such
encounters evidence that OLE’s presenters have
reached many schools and the information they have
communicated has been well received by children. I
hope that in the future more and more schools will
become interested in railway safety presentations,
especially considering that the new trains coming
to Estonia attract passengers with their additional
comfort but people also must get adjusted with
them from the safety perspective.
It is remarkable that in addition to the presentations,
the railway safety issues were also discussed in two
graduation papers written by traffic safety faculty
It is remarkable that in addition to the
presentations, the railway safety issues
were also discussed in two graduation
papers...
Getter Toome
OLE, Training Manager