The Rail Car Incident Response course has been developed to educate emergency responders on freight rail car incidents involving hazardous materials. As more and more rail traffic transports cargo, including hazardous materials, it is critical that emergency responders are well trained. The increase in traffic adds to the already present risk of transportation incidents involving hazardous cargo. In addition, since a majority of the rail traffic travels through rural America, it is important that the often times resource limited rural responder community become educated about the dangers and unique hazards presented with rail cars. The information covered in this course will enhance the ability of emergency responders, especially rural emergency responders, to manage rail car incidents.//////Hands-on scenarios using a rail car simulator are conducted to emphasize the objectives of the training including:
• Identifying the design, construction, components and markings of rail tank cars that carry crude/flammable liquids
• Recognizing and identifying the chemical being transported, and the properties that must be considered in an emergency
• Assessing the scene to determine the potential hazards to people, property, and the environment
• Recognizing mitigation strategies including offensive, defensive, and non-intervention strategies for fire and/or spill incidents. This is not a tactics course but rather focuses on strategy and decision making.
• Identifying key resources in the rail/freight industry as well as federal, state, and private resources for response assistance

This course utilizes a digital delivery of course materials. Students must download the attached documents to a digital device before the start of class and bring the device with them to class fully charged. If this is a consortium course, documents will be sent from them for download.

This is a dual registration course. Students must register with RDPC to receive pre-course correspondence with instructors and credit for this course.

https://studentportal.ruraltraining.org/courses/display/422