Northampton County Emergency Management Services will be offering free rail safety classes for all emergency responders following the March 2 Norfolk Southern train derailment in Lower Saucon Township.
Officials said the free classes will help first responders better understand how to respond to these types of emergencies, which necessitate awareness of topics such as railroad safety procedures, rail shipping documents, tank car identification, locomotive emergencies, the AskRail mobile app and more.
“Northampton County is doubling down on training. I’ve ordered Northampton County Emergency Management Services to intensify train derailment mitigation training,” said Northampton County executive Lamont G. McClure. “We must ensure we are ready and equipped to respond to any accident.”
“While holding railways accountable, it is more important than ever that all emergency managements in our region become educated about the dangers and hazards of rail cars carrying dangerous materials,” he added.
First responders and Emergency Management personnel can register for the classes by emailing Northampton County Emergency Management Operations Manager Mike Rampulla at mr*******@nc****.org or by calling 610-746-3194 ext. 3229.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
First responders can be seen working next to locomotives that derailed into the Lehigh River at Steel City in Lower Saucon Township on March 2, 2024. The cause of the derailment remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which recently released a preliminary report on the accident. (FILE PHOTO)
