CN counts 1,500 first-responder signups for rail-car safety app

More than 1,500 first responders along CN's network have downloaded the AskRail mobile app to access real-time information about the contents of rail cars in their communities, the Class I announced today.

Emergency responders are the only people eligible to sign up for the app, which was developed by the Association of American Railroads. The app enables responders to view rail-car contents through a simple search, and provides railway emergency contact information and reference resources to support incident response.

"AskRail provides relevant information to emergency responders at the outset of an incident, which helps them make better informed decisions about how to respond effectively to a rail emergency," said Sam Berrada, CN's vice president of safety and sustainability. "CN continues to encourage first responders to download this important tool on their mobile devices."

As of this month, more than 1,000 firefighters, emergency response managers and police officers in Canada, and nearly 500 in U.S. communities on the Class I's network have signed up for the app, CN officials said.