The National Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER) Task Group (NTTG) presented the 2008 TRANSCAER National Achievement Award to four companies committed to helping communities prepare for and respond to possible hazardous materials transportation incidents.
Companies attending the event will receive their award at the 22nd Annual Association of American Railroad and Bureau of Explosives Hazardous Materials Seminar at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., on May 19, 2009.
“TRANSCAER and the resources it makes available are intended to help safeguard the public by providing first responders with the information and training they need to effectively respond in the unlikely event of a chemical transportation incident,” said Rollie Shook, CPP, Emergency Services and Security Senior Leader of The Dow Chemical Co. and chairperson of NTTG. “This is a great outreach tool that gives companies the chance to let communities know they are committed to ensuring the safe and secure transportation of potentially hazardous products.”
TRANSCAER companies train local emergency responders through a combination of hands-on activities, emergency planning assistance and community drills and exercises. They include the use of actual rail and truck equipment; table-top exercises that are verbal “walk-throughs” that discuss responses to a possible emergency situation; and whistle-stop tours that bring emergency preparedness training to response organizations and educate communities near major rail routes about rail equipment and chemical transportation.
This year’s winners are: BNSF Railway Co., The Norfolk Southern Corp., The Dow Chemical Co. and Union Pacific Railroad. The recipients trained more than 13,000 first responders through numerous events nationwide last year.
In addition, the 2008 Regional Achievement Award was presented to Pennsylvania TRANSCAER and the Chairman’s Award was presented to Robert C. Blake, Bayer Corp.; John O’Neill, Firefighters Education &Training Foundation; and Donna L. Lepik, TRANSCAER. Louis J. Wagner of Union Pacific Railroad received the Distinguished Service Award.
