UP trained more first responders on crude safety at TTCI

Union Pacific Railroad last month conducted training courses for 160 emergency response personnel from 12 states during four sessions held at the Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) in Pueblo, Colo.

Training focused on sharpening the emergency responders' skills to better prepare for a crude-by-rail accident or incident. The three-day, 24-hour courses covered a variety of safety subjects, including identification of tank-car types that transport crude, tank-car fittings and construction, chemical and physical properties of the different types of crude and oil response precautions.

Participants received hands-on experience in assessing tank-car damage, making certain on-site repairs, controlling the release of crude from damaged rail cars and crude fire suppression techniques. They also participated in a simulated crude-oil fire to help them better understand how UP would work with responders in an emergency and how to work safely while on railroad property.

UP offers comprehensive training courses to fire department personnel and emergency responders along its lines. So far in 2014, the railroad has trained 240 emergency responders on crude-oil safety subjects at TTCI. Additional courses will be held Nov. 12-14 and Dec. 1-3.

Each year, the railroad trains about 2,500 local, state and federal first responders on ways to minimize the impact of a potential derailment. Since 2003, UP has trained nearly 38,000 public responders and almost 7,500 private responders, including shippers and contractors.