OMAHA, Neb. — The fire chiefs whose departments were the veryfirst on scene of February’s intense train derailment in eastern Ohio concur that firemens requirement more training about dangerous chemicals, however that it would be difficult for them ever to be totally ready to offer with a catastrophe of this magnitude.
The National Transportation Safety Board is holding a two-day field hearing in East Palestine, Ohio, on the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment. Thursday’s procedures are focused on the emergencysituation action to the derailment and the essential choice authorities made 3 days lateron to release the poisonous vinyl chloride from 5 tank vehicles and burn it to keep them from takingoff.
That relocation sentout a towering plume of black smoke over the town near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and triggered the evacuation of about half of East Palestine’s 5,000 locals. Officials have safeguarded that choice as the finest choice when dealtwith with the possibility of an surge that would haveactually sentout shrapnel into the town.
But homeowners have lotsof concerns about possible stickingaround health impacts even however state and federal authorities state tests program the air and water in town stays safe.
East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick stated there was a agreement in the command center that launching the chemicals from the carsandtrucks and burning them was the “least bad choice.” But Drabick and other veryfirst responders who affirmed at the hearing concurred that firemens requirement more training — especially volunteer firemens who were veryfirst on the scene after the derailment — on how to manage dangerous products.
“I wear’t believe you can ever be ready for something like this,” Drabick stated.
Ohio authorities stated volunteer firemens get just 36 hours of preliminary training when they are accredited — considerably less than the 200 hours expert firemens get — and that no harmful products training is consistedof.
The fire chiefs stated the preliminary reaction to the de