Norfolk Southern and Michigan first responders practice for large-scale train emergency
YPSILANTI, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Michigan first responders practiced a large-scale train emergency on Wednesday. The exercise was hosted by Norfolk Southern and involved local and federal emergency responders.
The toxic train derailment earlier this year in Ohio, as well as the derailment in Van Buren Township, have brought train safety to the forefront. The training exercise was meant to prepare first responders are prepared for anything that might come their way.
Nearly 100 first responders converged at the Norfolk Southern Yard in Ypsilanti for the regional full-scale safety training exercise. Local agencies from Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Washtenaw, and Oakland counties attended, as well as federal agencies.
The training was hosted by Norfolk Southern and was intended to strengthen coordination between railroads and first responders in the event of an emergency response.
"We can make the mistakes here, so we don't make them when we're actually on an emergency," said Chief David McInally, Van Buren Township Fire Department. "It helps us respond, maybe not necessarily faster, but more efficiently."
The Norfolk Southern "safety train" is a full-scale train used to simulate emergencies. The agencies practiced responding to derailments, leaking valves, or contamination incidents. The train travels the country offering free emergency simulations and also classes to get first responders familiar with trains.
"Identifying tank cars, the types of valves you might find on a tank car. You know, the most common hazmat incident on the railroad is actually just a leaking valve. So you go up, and you're all done," said Connor Spielmaker, a senior communications manager with Norfolk Southern.
"We actually use a Halloween fog machine, just like you might find at a haunted house. We put it on top of a rail car, and it creates vapor essentially. So that would simulate a car leaking vapor," said Spielmaker.
Chief McInally said after a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Van Buren Township in February and the high-profile toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, train safety is on the minds of many.
"They immediately made it available when I called and asked for it. I have a young department with a lot of turnover, so we have a lot of new people who don't have that experience," said McInally.
He said the training also introduces different agencies to one another and to Norfolk Southern.
"Making those contacts so when something does happen, we know who to call. Or whose specialty is maybe this type of car, that type of car. There's different things we can use. Doing that today is going to make things way better in the future."
