NS, RapidSOS partner to improve first responder access to safety info

Norfolk Southern Railway and RapidSOS have partnered to help equip first responders with tools to safely respond to a rail emergency, including cargo and hazardous materials information and the ability to call for mutual aid.

"When a rail incident occurs, seconds count. Through our partnership with RapidSOS, 911 call centers and first responder agencies throughout our 22-state network will have faster access to the information they need to safeguard their response, save lives, and protect the communities in which we operate," said John Fleps, NS vice president of safety, in a press release.

The RapidSOS platform links more than 500 million devices, apps and sensors to more than 15,000 911 and field-responder agencies. The partnership will leverage that network to help provide critical information and capabilities to first responders, including:
• train cargo contents with details by rail car;
• hazardous materials information and emergency response standards and best practices;
• the ability to digitally escalate for mutual aid to surrounding agencies; and
• online learning, support, and training at no cost to first responders.

Prior to the partnership, emergency dispatchers had to manually search online databases and verbally relay critical information to field responders.

The enhanced data from NS will be available to 911 centers and field responders nationwide in early 2024, company officials said.