Westborough Fire Captain Completes Rail Safety Training

Capt. Robert Rand recently completed an extensive week-long training program entitled “Emergency Response to Railroad Tank Car Incidents” at the Security & Emergency Response Training Center in Pueblo, CO.

This center is the Association of American Railroads’ premiere training facility in North America and participates in the Domestic Preparedness Training program under FEMA.

In cooperation with CSX, the program addressed various tank and general service cars, their design, nomenclature, structure, and product transfer procedures. The goal of the program was to obtain the skills and knowledge to manage an incident in rail transportation safely.

The program concluded with an evening, multi-hour, full-scale incident requiring students to draw on their skills working in partnership with public safety officials and CSX management staff.

Ellen M. Fitzsimmons, senior vice president of law and public affairs, and Cindy Sanborn, chief transportation officer and vice president at CSX Transportation, were also present to witness the program’s merits and complex operations.

-- submitted by the Westborough Fire Department