Railroad Emergency Response Training

Railroads transport many types of goods, chemicals and natural resources all across the country. Compared to over-the-road trucks, railroads are considered a more safe and efficient form of mass transportation, according to the American Association of Railroads. CSX Corporation reports that for every billion-ton miles of hazardous materials transported, trucks are involved in more than 16 times as many accidents as railroads. Still, the need for training should an emergency occur is vital because incidents can have serious consequences if not handled appropriately.

Objective

• The objective of railroad emergency response training is to prepare local emergency responders for the scenarios they might encounter when responding to a railroad hazardous materials incident. CSX, a major Class I railroad in the Eastern portion of the United States, reports that its railroad alone transports 350,000 loads of hazardous materials each year. Because railroad lines traverse rural and urban areas, an accident or leak of hazardous materials from railroad cars could pose a serious threat to property and health of the community.

Significance

• Training in railroad emergency response is significant because it gives responders knowledge about the railroading environment and possible safety risks before a threat is posed. With this knowledge, they are more apt to respond adequately to a railroad incident and minimize damage.

Curriculum

• There are several objectives training programs aim to accomplish. Participants should learn how to identify ownership of tracks at grade crossing locations; understand how to contact railroad personnel; work as a team with railroad incident command employees; read train consist information to identify potential hazardous materials involved; identify tracks with blue flag safety protection; conduct safe practices when working on or near railroad equipment; identify types of railroad equipment; understand valves and safety relief devices on high pressure tank cars; complete an emergency shutdown of a locomotive; and have an understanding of rail operations in the community.

Programs

• Major United States freight railroad companies, such as CSX Transportation and BNSF Railway, offer free training for local emergency responders through Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER). TRANSCAER is a volunteer organization that reaches out to communities to provide emergency training. TRANSCAER offers events throughout the year in designated communities that give responders hands-on training. There also are various training manuals and companies who provide training manuals or courses, such as a 2006 manual by Greg Roads, "Emergency Response to Railroad Incidents."

Considerations

• Railroad emergency response training is as much about training local emergency responders as it is about training railroad employees and customers. Railroad employees might receive additional training on incident response, but they often are part of the training sessions for the community. This helps give them necessary background in the collaborative effort often required for incident response. Also, customers of railroads, such as chemical companies, often take part in emergency response training. It is possible for incidents to happen on their property and they must also be prepared.