Tupelo Fire Department trains for rail emergencies
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Every day, throughout the day, trains roll through Tupelo carrying freight such as cars, heavy machinery, bulk commodities, or liquids like chemicals and crude oil.
Some of the cars contain hazardous materials, and in an emergency, local firefighters must be ready.
‘Hazmat is a big part of our job in the fire service and can be very dangerous,” said Tupelo Fire Chief Brad Robinson.
That’s why the Tupelo Fire Department brought in teams from BNSF and CPKC to take part in drills focusing on rail safety, hazardous material spills, or train accidents.
Chief Brad Robinson says dealing with an emergency on the tracks is not the same as battling a structure fire.
‘Fighting a fire, we go on scene, and we go directly to what is the cause, and we attack it. This, you slow down, back up, make sure everyone is safe, citizens around it, figure out what the product is, then take the steps from there,” Chief Robinson said.
Specially modified training cars allow firefighters and other first responders to climb on top of the tanks, learning about the different fittings and openings.
Instructors cover everything, from how to read the placards to different insulation in the cars and other safety measures. Crews even gear up in Level A hazmat suits for some drills.
Chief Robinson says having the experts on site is a valuable part of the real world training.
‘We get to use the instructors, who deal with this everyday, looking over our shoulders, saying, what about this, or talking with us about new products as well. It is a game changer because if you have to call a 1 800 number because of a haz mat incident, people you talk to are these instructors on site,” Robinson said.
While Tupelo hasn’t seen a major rail crisis in years, living along active rail lines means first responders must stay vigilant.
By taking part in this training, with railroad specialists, firefighters are ready if a real emergency strikes.
The training was also open to firefighters from surrounding cities and towns.
