Press Release

CSX Safety Train Scheduled for Training this week in Fonda

FONDA - The Montgomery County Emergency Management/Services office, in conjunction with CSX, will be providing the Safety Train Training for the following three days for our local first responders - Thursday July 30th, from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Friday July 31st, from 1-4 p.m., and Saturday August 1st, from 8-11 a.m., in Fonda, NY.

The Safety Train is a specially designed train by CSX, which travels to different areas, providing important first responder training for handling rail emergencies. The train also includes a tank car and a classroom to assist local officials in dealing with any situation that may occur. This scheduled training will specifically cover tank car nomenclature and operation, crude oil response and transportation and Hazardous materials awareness.

"I applaud Director Jeffery T. Smith and his Emergency Management team for consistently going above and beyond to keep the residents of Montgomery County safe," said County Executive Matthew L. Ossenfort. "This training combined with an updated response policy will help our entire first responder community manage a potential rail incident much more efficiently and keep residents safer."

Montgomery County has the longest stretch of CSX tracks traveling through any county, in the State of New York. Montgomery County Emergency Management/Services has been working very closely with CSX employees to keep county residents safe and informed.

Last month, Smith traveled to Atlanta, GA for a week long specialty training at the CSX REDI (the Railroad Education & Development Institute). The county has also had its HAZMAT Coordinator Tim Miller attend special training, in Colorado, pertaining to rail emergencies and hazardous material incidents and Deputy Director Rick Sager attended a special training class, in Albany, sponsored by the State of New York, for rail emergencies.

"Recently, crude oil transportation is one of the most talked about commodities and Montgomery County is preparing to handle any and all types of incidents that pertain to the transportation of any hazardous materials," Smith said. "We are appreciative and thankful for the partnership with CSX and will use any resource available to us in an attempt to respond to an incident appropriately."