USA: A groundbreaking ceremony on September 21 marked the start of construction of Norfolk Southern’s First Responder Training Center in East Palestine, Ohio.
The centre is intended to provide free training for emergency responders from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, building on the railway’s existing Operation Awareness & Response programme which trains 5 000 people/year across 22 states.
NS agreed to develop the facility following the derailment in February of a train carrying hazardous chemicals while passing through East Palestine. The company said it would invest at least $20m over 10 years in the new centre, which will operate at no cost to taxpayers.
First responder training is temporarily based at an NS yard in Bellevue, Ohio, where more than 400 local emergency personnel have received training this year.
Preliminary designs for the new facility are being developed by Arcadis. Training opportunities will include classroom, web-based and online resources, table-top drills and full-scale emergency response exercises.
- On September 18 NS announced an interim Value Assurance Programme covering residential properties in East Palestine. Residents who had sold their homes, have their homes on the market or will put their homes on the market are eligible to be compensated for any difference between the market value and sale price following the derailment. NS said it was working toward a long-term programme.
