Following the train derailment in Lac-Megnatic, Quebec in July 2013 that killed 47 people, the topic of rail safety in communities has been a hot-button issue.
Here in Airdrie, local firefighters got a refresher course in what they need to do when they approach a rail car with hazardous material on Sept. 7 during a training session.
“This is the first time that we’ve had something like this in the last five years, and we hope to have something like this here in Airdrie every two years,” Airdrie Fire Chief Kevin Weinberger said.
“A lot of that depends of course on the logistics of getting a rail car here that we can use for things like this,” he added.
“It’s great to know the process of what the railway workers do and who is responsible for what, and what we need to look for if we have to come to an incident.”
Dustin Ritter, a hazardous materials and emergency response officer for Canadian Pacific Rail (CPR) in Calgary, worked with local firefighters in classroom and on-site training during the course of the day, as he pointed out things to look for when they arrive on the scene of an incident.
“We let them know about the storage areas for certain materials, along with looking to see what they can spot on the site of the train that will tell them what’s inside, and how to handle it,” Ritter said.
“We make it a major point, especially on our main lines, to provide this awareness to the firefighters,” he added.
“We want them to have the confidence of knowing what they are able to do if an emergency situation arises.”
An emergency situation did arise one kilometre north of Airdrie in August 2010, when a broken rail caused a derailment of 12 cars and the evacuation of three farms for four days.
Nothing was spilled and no one was injured in the accident.
“I think it’s an absolute necessity to have something like this here, especially with the amount of rail traffic that we have coming and going through Airdrie on a daily basis,” said Mayor Peter Brown, who attended a tour of the rail-car with Deputy Mayor Allan Hunter and Alderman Candice Kolson said.
“The fact that they provided that level of detail to the firefighters in the city of Airdrie is outstanding, and with the changes they have made to increase safety after many serious incidents in North America, it will definitely help,” he added. “But there is still lots that we can do,”
When asked what he hoped the firefighters could take away from the day of work, Weinberger said the extra knowledge gained from the classroom and on-site work will be beneficial for the future.
“It’s a great reminder for us about rail safety and the dangers that are present when you approach a rail car, but it also shows us what people like CP Rail does with the information they provide for us,” Weinberger said.
“If a situation arises here, we will be well prepared for it,” he added.
CPR sends the rail-car for training sessions throughout the country during the summer and fall months, though the regions that it goes to varies from year to year depending on need.
