Last Updated on February 25, 2024 by Cass County Emergency Management Agency
LOGANSPORT, IN – Responders from multiple area departments came together to participate in a “Command and Control of Train Derailments” course on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The course, funded thru an Indiana Department of Homeland Security Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant, was arranged by the Cass County Emergency Management Agency and held at the Logansport Fire Department.
This course helps prepare command staff, hazardous materials responders, and emergency management personnel to conduct a risk-based response to a train derailment.
The course focused on managing the first operational period of the emergency response and development of an incident action plan (IAP) including determining incident priorities, selecting incident objectives, response strategies, and tactical considerations.
Key tactical considerations were reviewed to help prepare responders to conduct reconnaissance, establish control zones, implement public protective actions (shelter-in-place or evacuation), fire control, and incident termination.
Course Topics also included Understanding derailments, Incident management, Working with the railroad, Establishing incident priorities and objectives, Selecting strategy and tactics, Recon and incident analysis, Using AskRail, Establishing control zones, Implementing Public protective actions, Wide area monitoring, Tabletop scenarios and Incident termination.
Given the large amount of rail traffic that passes thru Cass County on a daily basis, responders see great importance for preparing for such emergencies. This class expands upon the concepts presented in the University of Findlay Rail Car response course, which was also grant funded, delivered in Cass County in 2022.
The training was funded by a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant and conducted by Hazard3.
Participating agencies included:
Cass County Emergency Management Agency
Cass County Fire District 1
Clinton Township Fire Department
Galveston Fire Department
Logansport Fire Department
Rock Creek Fire Department
Royal Center Fire Department
SOURCE: News release from Cass County Emergency Management Agency