Railroads, first responders join efforts for better safety

The first responders gathering at the Beyond Career Survival First Responder Conference here in Phoenix this week are critical to keeping our communities safe, but that burden should not be theirs alone.

Businesses across the state should share the responsibility of keeping the communities where they operate secure by ensuring their business practices are as safe as possible and providing emergency personnel with information that can improve their response in the case of an emergency.

To do their part, freight railroads have partnered with the International Association of Fire Chiefs to create a mobile phone app for first responders called AskRail, which gives emergency responders in the Grand Canyon State access to real-time information to best determine the safest course of action when arriving at the scene of a rail incident.

AskRail enables first responders to identify the cargo being carried by trains and key points on a map surrounding communities. In the case of a hazardous-materials incident, the app provides specific commodity information that can help rescuers react safely and swiftly.

Railroads have developed partnerships with the first responder community to make sure that first responders have the training and skills necessary to respond to a variety of potential rail incidents. In fact, more than 63,000 first responders from around the country have received hazardous material training at the freight rail industry’s state-of-the-art hazardous training facility in Pueblo, Colo. Railroads also go out to their communities to train responders onsite and provide access to online hazmat training.

While freight railroads will continue to support first responders, it’s important to note that the industry’s commitment to making a safe rail network even safer begins with finding ways to prevent accidents before they occur. That is why railroads research and test innovative technologies designed to reduce accidents.

Freight railroads have invested more than $635 billion over the last 20 years to improve infrastructure and safety technologies. This year alone freight railroads are projected to spend $60 million a day across the nation’s 140,000-mile rail network. These continued investments have resulted in a 44 percent decrease in train accidents since 2000.

Safety is the top priority of the thousands of men and women who work for the nation’s railroads, and they are constantly striving to improve on the already strong record of moving hazardous — but essential — materials safely across the country. Railroads are committed to continuously improving hazmat safety. That is why the industry has led the charge for tougher standards for tank cars carrying toxic-by-inhalation commodities and flammable liquids.

Rest assured that railroads transport hazardous materials safely, with 99.999 percent of all hazardous material shipments traveling by rail reaching their destinations without incident.

Despite exceptional improvements, accidents still occur. And that is why the railroads will continue to invest in safety-enhancing initiatives like AskRail to help first responders.