If you live in Menands and heard sirens going off this afternoon, it was for a train derailment exercise.

Around 3:30 pm on Sunday, the sirens at the fire station went off and about two dozen people who live in the village answered the call.

That siren declared the official start of a train derailment emergency evacuation drill.

“In the event that there was a train derailment here in the village of Menands, we were simulating the public’s response of being isolated in the certain section of the village, how they would exit the village and how they would return to safety,” Mayor Brian Marsh said.

Mayor Marsh said residents who live on the west side of the CP Rail line got a notification.

People were asked to get in their cars for the drill and follow the evacuation route. It took them from South Lyons Ave. to Upland Rd., then past the Menands School to get to Wards Ln.

From there, the residents were asked by Menands fire police for their names and addresses before they finished the evacuation drill.

Mayor Marsh said the drill is not only helpful for first responders but also for the residents who would be helped if a train derailment were to happen.

“You can’t predict when things like that are going to happen but being prepared for it is the best way to make sure if something were to happen, that you can participate and take care of the residents and that they know what to do.”

Mayor Marsh said this drill is repeated every five years to make sure their plan is the safest route possible and that everyone knows what to do.

The train derailment drill lasted for about 30 minutes.

After that, Mayor Marsh and first responders had a private meeting to discuss what part of the evacuation plan went well and what they needed to improve on.