'My 7-year-old has asked me if he is going to die': East Palestine mom testifies at Senate hearing
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — For the first time at a U.S. congressional hearing, an East Palestine resident testified about the toxic train derailment's impact on the community.
On Wednesday morning, Misti Allison was joined by lawmakers and other stakeholders, including the CEO of Norfolk Southern, as witnesses for a hearing to improve rail safety. It marked the second hearing in Washington, D.C. related to the incident. Hours later she spoke to KDKA-TV about her testimony.
"This is about people. This is about a community that no one had ever heard of before becoming ground zero and a small town being destroyed overnight," Allison said. "Everyone who lives in East Palestine is aware of the trains that pass by, but we've never really thought about them. Now, we can't think about anything else."
Allison received the invitation last week to speak at the hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation after meeting Chair Senator Maria Cantwell earlier this month at the hearing of the Environment and Public Works Committee, which didn't include any testimony from residents.
"I'm really honored that I was able to represent the community," Allison told KDKA-TV.
She wanted to put a face to the disaster that changed their lives.
"My 7-year-old has asked me if he is going to die from living in his own home. What do I tell him?" Allison said at the hearing.
In her words, what started as a huge fireball that she watched from her driveway is impacting both her mental and physical health.
"We just want to make sure that everything is being tested that should be tested, and we're not really sure if that's being done or not," Allison said at the hearing.
She also shared that it's causing challenges for businesses and the housing market.
"This preventable accident has put a scarlet letter on our town. People don't want to come here," Allison said at the hearing.
In front of U.S. lawmakers, the NTSB chair and the CEO of Norfolk Southern, Allison shared that residents want short- and long-term health care monitoring, home value protection, and an actionable economic development plan, which includes Norfolk Southern placing a first responder training facility in the village.
"Norfolk Southern has repeatedly said that they are going to make it right, and so it's really like what is the litmus test for that, and who gets to decide what is right?" Allison told KDKA-TV.
Allison said the community needs concrete data and plans because they're going to be dealing with the aftermath for not just days or years, but decades to come.
"We are actual people and everything that's being done is truly impacting us. And so when these policymakers and when Norfolk Southern is making these decisions, they need to remember that first," Allison said.
During the hearing, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw mentioned Norfolk Southern is working to create funds to address property values and long-term medical needs, but he did not provide any details.