1 year ago
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Local first responders received hands-on railroad hazmat training
For LaRhonda Ihediwah and her firefighting partner, Friday's hazmat railroad training was one of a kind. When billowing smoke simulated a chlorine leak from a rail car at Norfolk Southern’s rail yard in Irondale, they had to suit up and start climbing.“It's like, oh, no, let's go. Let's get it done. Yeah,” Ihediwah said.First responders were put through a handful of hazmat scenarios during the all-day exercise.They included using drones to assess leaks from the sky and securing them from on board train cars.“How realistic it was actually, and how we all band together and everyone actually had a job to do our position and we all help mitigate the situation,” Ihediwah said.The Irondale Fire Department jumped at the chance to participate, especially since trains run through the heart of town. “This stuff travels up and down our railways every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Captain Brian Anderton said.Norfolk Southern has seen its share of high-profile train derailments this year, including one which left dozens of train cars damaged in Calhoun County.The national railroad company offers the simulated exercises to local first responders for free. “Every fire department has access to some kind of training facility where they could do a structure, fire an automobile, fire a car accident extraction, and they have a railroad probably in their backyard. They don't have a railroad they can train on or with in their backyard,” Norfolk Southern spokesperson Connor Spielmaker said.Ihediwah believes a classroom cannot compare to what she learned today.“Once you put your hands on the tools, you start getting into the suits and then climbing on ladders. It cannot take place of hands-on training,” Ihediwah said.That gives them a head start the next time a train emergency rolls into town.Norfolk Southern is only offering the specialized training one other time this year, in Pittsburg.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
For LaRhonda Ihediwah and her firefighting partner, Friday's hazmat railroad training was one of a kind.
When billowing smoke simulated a chlorine leak from a rail car at Norfolk Southern’s rail yard in Irondale, they had to suit up and start climbing.
“It's like, oh, no, let's go. Let's get it done. Yeah,” Ihediwah said.
First responders were put through a handful of hazmat scenarios during the all-day exercise.
They included using drones to assess leaks from the sky and securing them from on board train cars.
“How realistic it was actually, and how we all band together and everyone actually had a job to do our position and we all help mitigate the situation,” Ihediwah said.
The Irondale Fire Department jumped at the chance to participate, especially since trains run through the heart of town.
“This stuff travels up and down our railways every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Captain Brian Anderton said.
Norfolk Southern has seen its share of high-profile train derailments this year, including one which left dozens of train cars damaged in Calhoun County.
The national railroad company offers the simulated exercises to local first responders for free.
“Every fire department has access to some kind of training facility where they could do a structure, fire an automobile, fire a car accident extraction, and they have a railroad probably in their backyard. They don't have a railroad they can train on or with in their backyard,” Norfolk Southern spokesperson Connor Spielmaker said.
Ihediwah believes a classroom cannot compare to what she learned today.
“Once you put your hands on the tools, you start getting into the suits and then climbing on ladders. It cannot take place of hands-on training,” Ihediwah said.
That gives them a head start the next time a train emergency rolls into town.
Norfolk Southern is only offering the specialized training one other time this year, in Pittsburg.
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