Firefighters from all around Jefferson County learn how to better respond to rail incidents, in an effort to keep themselves and locals safe.
Participants from Mt.Vernon, Ashley, Waltonville and Woodlawn all came together for rail safety and emergency response training put on by Norfolk Southern. This four-day session is part of a larger program by the railway, which is being taught in cities throughout the country.
Cristofer Burch, a Hazardous Material Compliance Officer for Norfolk Southern, says rail emergencies greatly differ from situations involving a home or vehicle. "The problem with train responses is that there's so many different chemicals, and there are some things on a locomotive that we don't want them to touch due to the danger of the voltage."
To respond to these incidents more safely, Mt.Vernon Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Sargent says, participants focused on hazmat technician training. "How to take care of leaks from a leaking tank car or how to close valves or how to operate different valves," he explains.