Will expand safety program that trains 5,000
first responders annually
ATLANTA, March 8,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation
(NYSE: NSC) announced Wednesday that it will create a new regional
training center in Ohio for first
responders. Additionally, Norfolk Southern will expand its
Operation Awareness & Response (OAR) program, which travels the
company's 22-state network and trains first responders on how to
respond safely to rail incidents.
Norfolk Southern will partner with community leaders to identify
a location for the new facility. The mission of the safety
training center will be to provide additional, free training
for first responders from Ohio,
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the greater region. It will
also strengthen coordination between railroads and first responders
in the event of an emergency response.
"These commitments are the direct result of my conversations
with Governor DeWine and other leaders, all to better support our
first responders and their communities. First responders are often
immediately on the scene of a rail incident, and we want to ensure
they have the knowledge and tools to work safely and effectively to
protect the health and safety of their fellow citizens," said
Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H.
Shaw. "I want to reiterate our profound gratitude to the
first responders from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia who rushed to the derailment
site on February 3rd."
"The derailment in East
Palestine made clear that ensuring first responders are
prepared for disasters involving hazardous materials is vitally
important to the safety of communities," said Ohio Governor Mike
DeWine. "Often, first responders are volunteers, and their
need to have the most up-to-date training and equipment is vitally
important. Today's commitment by Norfolk Southern is an
important next step in the company's commitment to make the
citizens of Ohio and of
East Palestine whole after the
recent derailments, a commitment Ohio will continue to monitor closely."
While the location for the dedicated facility is selected,
training classes will commence on March
22 at Norfolk Southern's yard in Bellevue, Ohio.
Additionally, Norfolk Southern is expanding its OAR program,
which provides training to approximately 5,000 first responders
annually. In 2023, the program will make 12 stops, with four to be
scheduled in Ohio. At the center
of the OAR program is a safety train which includes a dedicated
locomotive, specially-equipped classroom box cars, and several tank
cars designed to provide first responders with hands-on training.
It also provides training on the AskRail mobile app that enables
first responders to use their mobile phones to look up commodity
and response information on rail shipments.
About Norfolk Southern
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern
Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely
moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today,
it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight
transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability,
Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid 15 million tons of
yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team
members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from
agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of
auto products and metals in North
America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive
intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the
country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to
every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the
Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes.
Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.
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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation