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ND Senator makes push for first responder rail safety training


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 26 February 2015 - 08:06 PM

The Dickinson (ND) Press, 2/24:

 

Heitkamp makes push for rail safety training: West Virginia derailment may give senator’s bill more standing this year

 

FARGO — With another fiery oil-train derailment hitting the headlines, U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said she’s hoping more attention will be paid to her bill to improve training for first responders.

 

“With the recent events in West Virginia, we’re going to see again a great interest, renewed interest throughout the country, especially those parts of the country where they see a lot of transport of crude oil,” she told reporters Tuesday.

 

SNIP 

 

The bill would lay the foundation for more federal involvement in training first responders by creating a committee within the Federal Emergency Management Agency that brings together first responders, federal agencies and the private sector, according to the senator’s office.   .    .   .

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#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 30 November 2016 - 02:16 PM

Progressive Railroading, 11/30:http://www.progressi...ynews11/30/2016
 

House passes RESPONSE Act to improve rail hazmat training

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved the RESPONSE Act, a bill to enhance emergency responder training for incidents involving rail transportation of hazardous materials.

The bill, S. 546, was introduced by U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and passed in the Senate earlier this year. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the bill with an amendment. The measure now goes back to the Senate for further consideration, according to a press release issued by the T&I committee.

 

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#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 30 November 2016 - 02:23 PM

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee news release:

 

House Passes RESPONSE Act to Enhance Hazmat Training for Emergency Responders



Washington, DC, November 29, 2016

 

 

The House of Representatives today approved the RESPONSE Act of 2016 (S. 546), a bill to enhance emergency responder training for incidents involving hazardous materials rail transportation.

 

“Rail safety is critical to the transport of goods and services through our country,” said U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA), Chairman of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. “I believe the RESPONSE Act will succeed in improving the safety of our nation’s rail network.”

 

The RESPONSE Act establishes a temporary subcommittee under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council to provide recommendations and advice regarding emergency responder training related to hazardous materials incidents involving railroads.

 

The subcommittee will be composed of members from various government agencies, including the Federal Railroad Administration, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and FEMA.  The subcommittee will also include non-governmental members, including those from affected industries, technical experts, and emergency responder training providers.  

 

The RESPONSE Act will enhance rail safety by helping improve access to training for emergency responders, identifying challenges to obtaining appropriate training for emergency responders, modernizing training course content related to rail hazardous materials incidents, and identifying strategies to integrate data regarding the flow of hazardous materials by rail and other relevant data for local emergency responders.

 

S. 546 was introduced by Senator Heidi Heitkamp (ND) and passed in the Senate earlier this year by unanimous consent.  The bill will now be sent to the President.



#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 30 November 2016 - 06:19 PM

American Shipper, 11/30:

House follows Senate in unanimously passing rail RESPONSE Act 
 
The Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation Act, which provides training and resources for emergency responders to handle potentially hazardous incidents, will now be sent to the president for final approval.
 
 
   The United States House of Representatives yesterday unanimously approved the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Act of 2016 (S. 546).

   The RESPONSE Act, which will provide additional training for first responders, specifically for handling freight train derailments that include hazardous materials such as crude oil, was passed unanimously by the Senate in May, meaning the bill will now be sent to the president for final approval.

   The legislation establishes a public-private council of emergency responders, federal agencies and industry stakeholders tasked with reviewing current training methods and prescribing best practices for first responders to Congress.  .  .  .

 

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