Training
The Norfolk Southern team provides a menu of emergency response training options. If you are an emergency responder (including: fire department, law enforcement, emergency medical services, hazmat response team, emergency management personnel, military, homeland security personnel, shippers, and customers) and are interested in training, please contact us at Robert.Wood2@nscorp.com to provide you options in your community. Please review our training options below. All of the training options provided by Norfolk Southern are free to attendees.
2024 NS HazMat Safety Train Schedules
| Location | Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| Greensboro, NC | 3/4/24 | Download Brochure |
| Columbia, SC | 3/18/24 | Download Brochure |
| Valdosta, GA | 4/1/24 | Download Brochure |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 4/15/24 | Download Brochure |
| Alexandria, VA | 4/29/24 | Download Brochure |
| Altoona, PA | 5/13/24 | Download Brochure |
| Conway, PA | 5/20/24 | Download Brochure |
| Youngstown, OH | 6/3/24 | Download Brochure |
| Ft. Wayne, IN | 6/17/24 | Download Brochure |
| Decatur, IL | 7/8/24 | Download Brochure |
| Roxana, IL | 7/22/24 | Download Brochure |
| Wentzville, MO | 7/29/24 | Download Brochure |
| Lexington, KY | 8/12/24 | Download Brochure |
| Portsmouth, OH | 8/26/24 | Download Brochure |
| Binghamton, NY | 9/17/24 | Download Brochure |
| Newark, DE | 9/30/24 | Download Brochure |
| Richmond, VA | 10/14/24 | Download Brochure |
| Chattanooga, TN | 10/28/24 | Download Brochure |
| Dalton or Gainesville, GA | 11/4/24 | Download Brochure |
The TRANSCAER® Program
Norfolk Southern works hard to ensure the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail. A key part of that effort is voluntary participation in the Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response program, known as TRANSCAER®. At TRANSCAER®-related events in 2021, Norfolk Southern employees provided training for more than 3,469 first responders across our system to help those communities prepare for and safely respond to potential incidents involving rail transport of hazardous materials. Local first responders and government officials participated in classroom and hands-on training, table top simulations, and full-scale drills. Of those trained, 723 were trained during 6 Norfolk Southern Safety Train events.
TRANSCAER®
Achievement Award
For the 22nd time and 20th consecutive year in 2021, Norfolk Southern earned a National TRANSCAER® Achievement Award. The award recognizes exceptional achievement in support of voluntary efforts by companies and others to help communities prepare for and safely respond to incidents involving transport of hazardous materials.
Training Videos
Training Statistics - First Responders Trained Annually
| 2023 – 5,413 | 2022 – 5,031 | 2021 – 3,469 |
| 2020 – 977 | 2019 – 5,788 | 2018 – 6,226 |
| 2017 – 8,185 | 2016 – 5,573 | 2015 – 4,792 |
In April 2016, Norfolk Southern put a dedicated safety train in service with a locomotive, 2 box car classrooms, 4 tank cars, and 2 specially equipped flat cars. This train moves to various locations on Norfolk Southern, offering emergency responders along our routes, hands-on training with the type of car the industry uses to transport hazardous material, including lessons on tank car safety features.
- Safety on Railroad Property
- Rail Shipping Documents
- Rail Equipment Identification
- Rail Tank Cars
- Locomotive Fires
- Flammable Liquid Unit Trains
- Incident Response Procedures
- Working with Railroad Officials
- AskRail Mobile App
For more info on the training opportunities available at SERTC click the following link:
FRA Law Enforcement/First Responders Video Training Resources
The Federal Railroad Administration has developed multiple videos providing training for law enforcement, emergency responders, and emergency dispatchers. These videos cover topics such as: rail safety, crossing accident investigation, locomotive crew rescue, using the emergency notification system, and many other railroad emergency topics.
https://railroads.dot.gov/highway-rail-crossing-and-trespasser-programs/first-responder
Transportation Rail Incident Preparedness and Response (TRIPR) - PHMSA Training Program
The Transportation Rail Incident Preparedness and Response, Flammable Liquid Unit Trains resource materials were developed to provide critical information on best practices related to rail incidents involving hazard class 3 flammable liquids, such as crude oil and ethanol. A key component of this initiative is to learn from past experiences and to leverage the expertise of public safety agencies, rail carriers, and industry subject matter experts in order to prepare first responders to safely manage incidents involving flammable liquid unit trains.
These training resources offer a flexible approach to training the first responders and emergency services personnel in pre-incident planning and response. Each module contains a PowerPoint presentation, Student Workbook, and Instructor Lesson Plan. In addition to these materials, there are three interactive scenarios with animation and introduction videos to help instructors lead tabletop discussions. Click on the link below to download the TRIPR materials.
AAR-API Crude Oil Training
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the member companies of both organizations have worked to create a safety awareness course for first responders. The course is meant to provide some of the information first responders need to know before approaching an incident involving crude oil moved by rail. While crude oil is a flammable liquid and should be treated as such during a response, the growth in crude oil by rail has raised concerns about how first responders can be better prepared if an incident occurs. This program seeks to assist in preparation by describing the characteristics of crude oil and the rail cars it is shipped in, the RECEOS strategies that should be considered if crude oil is present, spill response and firefighting considerations, and the need for structured incident management. This course has been designed for first responders with basic fighting training and is offered free of charge.
Chemical Tour
There are many resources available for chlorine emergency response training. Presentation topics include: chlorine properties and emergency response; chlorine tank cars and rail safety; and the proper use of Emergency Kits A, B and C to mitigate leaks from chlorine cylinders, ton containers and tank car valves.
Click here learn about the Chlorine Safety Training Tour.
Anhydrous Ammonia Training Tour
With Anhydrous Ammonia being a large part of American agricultural, manufacturing, commercial, and transportation industries and incidents occurring in the past across the United States, there is a possibility that at some point a large ammonia incident may occur. TRANSCAER® has created a high-quality training program that will help prevent and or mitigate such an incident for emergency responders in communities where anhydrous ammonia is manufactured, stored, shipped, transported, or used in high volume quantities. All the materials were developed by our team of seasoned experts from across various industries.
Click here to learn about the Anhydrous Ammonia Safety Training Tour.
Ethanol Training
To enhance the knowledge, capability and readiness of operational emergency response agencies to effectively respond to fires, spills and other emergencies involving ethanol and ethanol blended fuels, the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition has developed educational materials, training programs and other products for emergency responders that will improve their knowledge of and ability to respond to emergencies involving ethanol and ethanol blended fuels, and allow them to make informed decisions regarding capability based on community risk and other factors.
Click here to learn about the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition resources.
The new regional safety training center in East Palestine, Ohio will provide ongoing, free training for first responders from Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the greater region.
