Norfolk Southern's Safety Train Begins 2018 Tour
The train will stop in 23 cities this year as part of Norfolk Southern's Operation Awareness & Response program, which provides free training to first responders on how to safely respond to a potential rail hazmat incident.
Norfolk Southern's safety train began its 2018 tour on April 3, starting with three days of training at the company's rail yard in Hattiesburg, Miss., the company announced. The train will stop in 23 cities this year as part of Norfolk Southern's Operation Awareness & Response program, which provides free training to first responders on how to safely respond to a potential rail hazmat incident.
Later stops on the tour will include communities in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The complete 2018 training schedule is available here.
At every stop, Norfolk Southern hazmat specialists lead a four-hour course that combines classroom instruction and hands-on training on a locomotive and rail cars. Emergency personnel attending the training learn about railroad operations, basic safety precautions, initial response procedures, types of rail equipment, and whom to contact in an emergency. After they complete the course, qualified emergency responders can download AskRail™, a free mobile app that provides immediate information about rail cars carrying hazardous materials if a rail incident does occur.
"Our safety train is helping Norfolk Southern build and strengthen relationships with first responders across our network," said David Schoendorfer, system manager hazardous materials. "We want them to be equipped with the tools and resources they need to safely do their jobs when responding to potential rail incidents. It's all about helping our communities be prepared and safe."