Nassau County Emergency Management (NCEM) will hold a multi-agency tabletop emergency response exercise in its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Feb. 28 – March 1. NCEM Director Tim Cooper said it will include a four-day hands-on “train derailment and hazardous materials response” training opportunity for local firefighters.
The CSX Responder Incident Training (RIT) train is a specialized, hands-on training program that provides first responders with insights on how rail cars work and how to respond safely to rail-related incidents.
CSX provides emergency planning assistance and training at no cost to fire, police, and other emergency response personnel in the communities they serve, but this is the first time this training will be offered in Nassau County.
NCEM is responsible for the county’s disaster preparedness. The NCEM staff writes plans for and organizes exercises of county response operations for all types of natural and man-made hazards.
Although the planning for this training and exercise began almost a year ago, recent railroad derailments in the news have been a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness for any incident.
“Thanks to our partnerships,” Cooper said, “we are fortunate to have this derailment and hazmat training in our community.”