P&L Railway to host SLSI's first-responder hazmat training

Hosted by the Paducah and Louisville Railway Inc., the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) this week will conduct first-responder training in hazardous-materials response at four Kentucky locations.

The SLSI's railroad emergency-response preparation will combine classroom instruction, hands-on training and interactive experience-based discussions tailored to meet first-responders' needs. The sessions also will include information specific to the P&L's operations in its localities, SLSI officials said in a press release.

The training will be conducted in Paducah, Princeton, Elizabethtown and Pleasure Ridge Park. The training will focus on safety considerations when working on railroad property; emergency-contact information; rail types, identification and features; hazmat identifiers; train lists and shipping documents; and incident management and specialized resources.

"The Paducah & Louisville's commitment to providing this training, with four locations to choose from, will benefit the surrounding communities," said SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta. "The railroad emergency response training, with particular attention to the local railroad’s operations, lays the groundwork for a safe, well-coordinated hazmat incident response and community protection."

The training is provided at no cost to the participants or the railroad, with funding provided by the Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training (ALERT) grant from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration.