I know we all extend our thoughts and prayers to the survivors of, and responders to, this tragic incident in Canada.
While we know it’s much too soon, in advance of what promises to be an exhaustive investigation, to identify all the factors leading up to this horrific crash, it’s interesting that the involved railroad is already raising questions about whether the local fire department’s actions contributed to the deadly outcome.
Ultimately, the investigation results will provide answers to those questions, but in the meantime it’s worth considering our own departments’ exposure to, and readiness for, railroad-related (both freight and passenger) incidents.
According to industry trade group the Association of American Railroads, freight railroads in the United States operate over 140,000 miles of track across the nation, in communities large and small, served by volunteer, combination, and career departments of all sizes and configurations. Some of the most heavily trafficked rail lines pass through rural areas where the value of a freight train might exceed, by many times, the fixed infrastructure of the towns and villages through which it travels.
Many of our communities play host to dozens of trains each day, along with fixed facilities owned by the railroads that are subject to limited local oversight and regulation. All manner of hazardous materials travel over the rails and, as the industry points out, while it is a relatively safe form of transportation in terms of tonnage shipped vs. accident frequency, we know from experience that accidents can occur without warning, at all times day and night.
If you have a rail line in your response area, when was the last time you met with railroad personnel to discuss expectations for responding to an incident and safety considerations for handling an accident? Have your members received awareness-level training on rail-related emergencies and basic protective actions?
In my experience there is often a gap in understanding between local responders and railroad officials, but it is one that can be addressed, in some measure, through regular meetings, joint training and exercises.
Both the local fire department and the railroad have a shared interest, and responsibility, to protect the communities they serve. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to reach out and become familiar with what’s happening on the rail lines in your area, don’t wait.
Stay safe!
