§ 23 §7313 — Mandatory training offered by railroad companies to fire and emergency medical services

1.
Training.
A railroad company shall offer training to each fire department, each local organization for emergency management and each organization that has a mutual aid agreement with each fire department and each local organization for emergency management along routes over which the railroad company transports oil or other hazardous materials. Additional training must be offered to each fire department and each local organization for emergency management at least once every 3 years after the initial training provided for under this subsection.
2.
Hazardous materials; techniques to assess hazards.
The training under subsection 1 must address the general hazards of oil and hazardous materials that travel through the jurisdiction or mutual aid agreement jurisdiction of each fire department and local organization for emergency management; techniques to assess hazards to the environment and to the safety of first responders and the public; factors that an incident commander must consider in determining whether to attempt to suppress a fire or to evacuate the public and first responders from an area; and other strategies for initial response by first responders.
3.
Suggested protocols.
The training under subsection 1 must include suggested protocols or practices for first responders to safely respond to a derailment; methods to identify railroad cars and hazardous material contents; first responder safety issues; railroad response tactics; public notification and evacuation considerations; environmental contamination response; railroad response personnel and resources coordination at an accident; and any other protocols and practices for safe initial local response, including the notification requirements and the responsibilities of an incident commander during any rail accident involving oil or other hazardous materials.

Legislative History

PL 2023, c. 618, §8 (NEW).