AMES, Iowa, June 18, 2026 – If you have trouble on railroad tracks, the blue sign has your back. That’s the message the Iowa Department of Transportation’s rail safety team wants the public to recognize and understand about the Emergency Notification System (ENS) signs. Operation Lifesaver’s National Emergency Notification System (ENS) Sign Awareness Day is Wednesday, June 24, 2026, but knowing what the signs mean and how to use them in an emergency situation is vital to motorist and pedestrian safety year-round.
“In Iowa, there are more than 6,500 railroad crossings located throughout Iowa and ENS signs provide a critical connection to railroads in emergencies,” said Iowa DOT Rail Director Amanda Martin. “Recognizing and using this sign in a crisis – like a stuck or stalled vehicle, as well as other trouble on the tracks – can save lives, when seconds count.”
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Each rectangular blue and white ENS sign displays a unique phone number and crossing ID – critical information that allows the public to report emergencies quickly.
See trouble on or near the tracks?
ENS signs are typically mounted on the posts of crossbuck signs or crossarm equipment. When people see trouble on or near the tracks, they should call the number listed and provide the crossing ID. In rare instances when an ENS sign is not available, this is also the information to share with dispatchers when calling 911.
If your vehicle is stuck or stalls on the tracks
- Get out immediately and locate the blue and white ENS sign and call the number listed. Give the dispatcher the crossing ID.
- Get as far away from the tracks and the potential impact – even if no train is in sight.
- If no ENS sign is present, call 911 right away.
“ENS Sign Awareness Day is a powerful reminder that there is a tool that gives you fast and direct contact for reporting track emergencies to rail companies – but this is a message that matters every day of the year,” Martin added. “Together, we can stop track tragedies.”
A nationwide awareness effort
ENS Sign Awareness Day — June 24, 2026 — shines a spotlight on the lifesaving importance of the Blue and White Emergency Notification System (ENS) signs posted at railroad crossings. Iowans can help raise awareness wherever you are — at home, on the job or out in your neighborhood.
What you can do
- Engage locally. Connect with your Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator and attend an ENS community event.
- Educate your friends, family and community about ENS signs and how to use them.
- Follow OLI on social media and share our daily rail safety education messages. Volunteer with OLI.
- Share OLI’s ready-to-use PSAs, videos, infographics and social posts.
- Share the importance of the ENS sign as well as OLI's FREE RISC Training with your first responders.
To learn how the Iowa DOT keeps safety on track, please visit: Track Safety | Department of Transportation. For additional information on participating or to access campaign materials, please visit the Operation Lifesaver, Inc. website.
For general questions on rail-ag safety, contact Iowa DOT Rail Director Amanda Martin at amanda.martin@iowadot.us or 515-239-1653.
About Operation Lifesaver
