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Palmetto Railways, SLSI Host Emergency Responder Training

Palmetto Railways partnered with the Short Line Safety Institute to host a week-long hazardous materials emergency response training program in June. The program brought together 90 participants: 69 first responders and 21 Palmetto Railways employees. Participants represented Charleston County Emergency Management Division, Charleston Fire Department, Goose Creek City Fire Department, Moncks Corner Fire Department, North Charleston Fire Department, Central Berkeley Fire & EMS, North Berkeley Fire Department, South Berkeley Fire Department, Bonneau Rural Fire Department, and HEPACO. Instruction covered railroad property safety, incident scene protocols, hazmat placarding, and train documentation review. The training was provided at no cost to participating organizations. The week culminated in a field exercise simulating a rail emergency, allowing participants to practice interagency coordination and incident command procedures. Funding came through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training grant program. Palmetto Railways President Patrick McCrory emphasized the importance of community partnerships in maintaining safe operations.