NEWS RELEASE

RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT

31 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546

13 August 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chief Thomas Weitzel tweitzel@riverside.il.us 708.447.2127

Follow RPD on Twitter @pdriverside

Riverside Police Utilizing New Ask Rail App for Emergency Responders
Police Chief directs all police employees to download app on work phones and squad car computers

On Wednesday, August 5, 2015, Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel directed all of his
road personnel including supervisors to load the new Ask Rail app onto their work
computers and cell phones. Additionally, the app has been loaded at the 911 center for
immediate access by 911 operators.
Through Ask Rail's mobile interface, developed by the Association of American Railroads,
emergency responders across North America will be able to see the contents of rail cars
through a simple search, view railway emergency contact information and reference
resource to support incident response.
Ask Rail is a step in the right direction, said Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel.
Instantaneously available, real-time information on what rail cars are carrying in addition to
the tools that will enhance our ability to respond, protect our communities and provide safety
for police officers who arrive first on the scene is exactly what I have been lobbying for the
past 5 months.
The Ask Rail app is only available to emergency responders including police personnel, fire
personnel, EMS personnel and 911 dispatch centers.