Blumenthal Statement On New Metro-North Chief Safety Officer Position

(Hartford, CT) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued a statement in response to Metro-North’s announcement of a new chief safety officer position. Metro-North’s current chief safety and security officer, Anne Kirsch, will reportedly be named to the new, exclusively safety-focused post. The chief safety officer will report directly to newly appointed Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti, whom Blumenthal met with this past week.

“This step is in the right direction, even if long overdue. This new official has to be a real change agent, not a figurehead. What matters is whether this person has the power and support to make sweeping changes in the way the railroad is run to achieve real results in safety and reliability.   Outcomes will be assessed by action – specific safety and reliability steps that I and others have advocated – more than releases and words.”