| First Responders’ Comments I strongly support Secondary Containment Tank Car Top-Fitting Protection. If secondary containment devices are already available it only makes sense that this safety equipment would be required to be in place. The public depends on us to protect them and this extra safety protection is another way to provide that. These safety devices will ultimately save lives and costs associated with a release of toxic gas. As a fire department that has 2 rail lines going through it, this is a great product. Not only from a life safety aspect, but financially a hazmat incident is difficult for most municipalities. This could save millions of dollars in resources to municipalities. The life safety benefits alone are reason enough for the government to consider this law. Please strongly consider the implementation of rail car top fitting protection measures. Responders to incidents involving hazardous chemicals and rail cars need the additional protection afforded by these measures. Thank you. I support secondary containment on rail cars for a multitude or reasons. Secondary containment provides added protection for the first responders and the public. My city is bordered by a rail yard that is not in our primary response district. If an incident occurs, it would not only close two state highways it would force evacuation of three elderly high-rises, the main fire station, city building and state building. If an incident went undiscovered for any length of time, the loss of life would be high. This new safety measure should be a given and not even open for discussion. This safety feature deals with saving lives involved in the release of VERY dangerous poisons. It relieves the burden of Haz-Mat teams of subjecting themselves to this environment and gives safety and security to the public as well. I am looking forward to this added feature since we have several tank cars through our city and industry that uses these chemicals. Enough said, just get it done for the safety and security of all involved. Please strongly consider Tank Car Top Fitting Protection. Releases are real and a concerted attack on multiple cars in a response area would be beyond devastating. If a protective action is available it must be pursued proactively. Anything less, such as reactive implementation of these devices after a devastating event is not acceptable. Any team that has climbed a chlorine tanker with a “C” kit for training let alone a real world situation will tell you that there has to be a better way. As fire marshal, certified fire & explosion investigator, and hazardous material specialist for 27 years, I support the docket for the safety and interest of safer transportation of chlorine with this most impressive fail safe device. No more will C kits and entry in encapsulated level A suits be a necessary function. No more will an inexperienced first responder turn a valve that usually turns a scene from hazardous release to community catastrophe. I support the new technology for the best interests of all stakeholders who advocate safety each day. I am most impressed with fail- safe secondary containment without expending resources that may prove more harm than good. This is a win-win for all and mostly for the community that may be affected in the unimaginable event of a terrorist event or accidental derailment. How is this a win-win? If you have ever had the experience in lugging a C Kit down a rail line wearing a Level A suit in the heat of summer to contain a chlorine vapor leak, you know that it is extremely labor-intensive, both physically and mentally. The vapor in itself has ruined the integrity of encapsulated Level A gear, incurring a great expense in replacement costs and putting stress on an already tight fire budget. Fire service professionals know by experiences that most vapor releases in chlorine tank cars or from large storage cylinders, for example, occur in relief valve or perhaps a broken or malfunctioned valve assembly. Oftentimes, we see the relief valve may be functioning properly, but we notice that the filling integrity ratio of liquid to vapor space times outside thermal temperature for transport may not be compatible. The relief valve then expels chlorine gas when the ratios are not balanced. With this in mind, the TGO system, installed over existing valves, is nothing more than second containment system replacing the C Kit concept. These fail-safe secondary devices assure that if one valve system fails, a secondary system abates the problem. The dome is sealed to assure no release of toxic vapors ever reach the exterior and endanger affected communities and responders. As the Chief of a small metropolitan department located between City of Atlanta and Hartsfield Jackson International Airport it is imperative that we be proactive. There are train tracks running east to west through the heart of the city dividing it into the north and south sides. Secondary containment of the rail tank car is a low cost enhancement that is essential for reducing the probability of a toxic gas release from a rail car designed to transport poison gas through our city. From a risk management perspective the cost of a safety device is far less than the potential damage and liability of just one incident in a major urban area to human life. The railroad that runs north and south through the Cities in San Mateo County parallels major roadways and is directly west of the 101 freeway and San Francisco International Airport. Hazardous material rail transportation has always been a major concern for our City. Any built-in safety measures provided on railcars transporting toxic gases is a common sense item. I strongly support improving Tank Car top fitting protection. As an emergency responder with 18 years of hazmat response experience, and the Assistant Chief in a rural Arizona community with one of the largest railroads in the country traveling through our district between 80 and 100 times per day. I support the new safety requirement for Top Fitting Protection on rail cars. With the potential loss of life and little resources, any safety device that will protect not only the public but emergency responders is essential. Aside from the terrorist potential, the loss of human life is of the utmost important factor that should be considered in the decision making process of this safety device. History of many rail accidents with great loss of life throughout the country should be all we need to make the right decision. Please strongly consider Tank Car Top Fitting Protection. I’ve been witness to case study, and accident, involving chlorine and anhydrous ammonia rail cars in my career. Specifically, with an incident inside the city limits of Camas, Washington, in 1997 whereas a rupture disc inside an operating facility failed and remote valve operations failed to shut off the flow of Cl gas. This incident caused an extensive local evacuation with luckily only one reported injury. The distance from the source problem (rupture disk) and public right of way whereas active business was in progress was no less than one hundred and ten feet. Due to sanctions set forth by the State of Washington, and lucky for the community, the operating facility decided to eliminate the use [of] chlorine directly from up to six 90-ton rail cars stored in the heart of downtown Camas. Further, I support this retrofit to enable the likelihood of ensuring the valve assemblies withstand damage and release as a direct result of accident. Tampering due to any kind of terrorist activities while cars are ‘staged’ or ‘in use’ in ABC community of the United States would see an additional reduction. Use of chlorine and other chemicals in our county will certainly continue, as they are integral into so many parts of American life. Once the cost vs. benefits are realized, I’m confident all respective associations applicable to transportation, storage and use of this type of rail car system, will see known or potential liabilities reduce to dramatic proportions. Lastly, as one individual who’s trained repeatedly with C-Kits on rail cars in all types of weather, day and night, I know the hazards associated with the responders and limited visibilities. Any action that pulls the need to put humans directly into an emergency before it stabilizes itself is a good thing for the American public. I would strongly urge secondary containment requirements. I strongly support the added protection topside protection. As both a railroader and firefighter, secondary containment is crucial to life safety for both the public and first responders. My district contains a large university only a field’s length away from a very busy rail line in both passenger and freight traffic. All of the university would have to be evacuated, as well as the surrounding community. First responders would have to get all of their equipment across a swamp before even coming to this section of rail line, lengthening the response time considerably. I support this and any initiative that improves life safety of our public and our responders and decreases risk to same. “C” kits are cumbersome dinosaurs that that put our folks too close to the hazard. When a safer option presents, there should be no hesitation in requiring it. We support the petition. Any efforts that can be taken to reduce the risk of life and property should be considered. Please consider top fitting protection for tank cars. We have railroads that go right in the middle of our town, and as Fire Chief I strongly support this safety device. Secondary containment will provide safety for responders and public. This is a necessary improvement that must be implemented. With Illinois being a major rail hub of the U.S., and with lines running through our fire district as well as many of the neighboring towns that we respond to, it is only logical that I would be in favor of this type of safety device. A number of nearby communities have large rail yards that we may find ourselves in for an incident. We have been very proactive in addressing hazardous material response with our MABAS XII haz-mat team and if a device like this could prevent a leak in any of the densely populated areas that we operate in, then it would be worth any price to improve the technology and safety of the pressurized rail cars. If it protects the lives of both the public and the first responders then it is something that should be pursued. On protection for the tank cars, consider the top fitting protection be considered. Thanks. We need safety with regard to the transporting chlorine over our rail system. Many years ago (late 1970's) we had a derailment in Bay County with chlorine tankers overturning. If I remember correctly, there were at least two deaths with regard to this incident. From the perspective of homeland security and/or terroristic concerns, those persons bent on serious destruction of property and inflicting chaos and terror through the use of terroristic acts and threats, it would seem quite easy for an ill-directed person or persons to cause serious damage to top-mounted valves and fittings that are above the top surface level of the tank/container. For instance, an overpass trestle could [be] easily rigged with a cable or bar stretched across the opening. When a train carrying tank cars passed beneath the cable or bar, it would shear off the valves, causing a fire, explosion, or leak. The leak poses even more of a danger if the spill continues unnoticed and unabated for miles. This act of sabotage would be quite easy to effect anywhere a train must pass under a bridge, overpass, or trestle. In favor of tank car top fitting protection, this decision directly affects my industry/job. Top-fitting protection be considered for safety of the public and emergency response personnel. In favor of the top fitting protection to be considered for the safety of the public and emergency response personnel. When our long overdue “Big One” hits southern California we are highly likely to have at least a couple of train derailments at a time when emergency response resources will be stretched beyond the breaking point with water pressure for fire fighting unlikely to be available and hazmat teams not likely to be able to get through the debris-strewn or damaged roads to the scenes of the accidents. Any and all measures that can help contain or prevent hazardous materials spills, especially in Earthquake Country, and should be employed as a matter of course - including top fitting on rail cars. Top-fitting protection should be considered for railroad tankers. Spills or gas leaks from railroad accidents are the number one concern of this agency. The tracks pass through the most densely populated part of this town and cross this area along a major river. Regulations like this one are critically important both to life and health safety for our citizens but [also] for the citizens resident along the Millers River and the Connecticut River all the way to the coast. Tank Car Top-fitting protection must be considered and implemented. Please consider top-fitting protection be required on all rail cars that carry toxic products. Releases are real and a concerted attack on multiple cars in a response area would be beyond devastating. If a protection action is available it must be pursued pro-actively. Anything less, such as reactive implementation of these devices after a devastating event is not acceptable. Any team that has climbed a chlorine tanker car with a “C” kit for training let alone a real world situation will tell you that there has to be a better way. San Bernardino County California is the largest County in the United States and has two major rail lines traversing. At San Bernardino County Fire Department Haz-Mat, it is our experience that top fitting failures or damage are the most common rail emergency response problems we encounter. We support this rule to ensure any new tank car specifications include stronger and safer top car fittings. Agree with his comment. Also from the perspective of homeland security and/or terrorist concerns, those persons bent on serious destruction of property and inflicting chaos and terror through the use of terrorist acts and threats, it would seem quite easy for an ill-directed person or persons to cause serious damage to top-mounted valves and fittings that are above the top surface level of the tank/container. For instance, an overpass trestle could be easily rigged with a cable or bar stretched across the opening. When a train carrying tank cars passed beneath the cable or bar, it would shear off the valves, causing a fire, explosion, or leak. The leak poses even more of a danger if the spill continues unnoticed and unabated for miles. This act of sabotage would be quite easy to affect anywhere a train must pass under a bridge, overpass, or trestle. Access to a train’s manifest needs to be readily available to the responders. Some type of a system on the Internet or an intranet needs to be developed so responders to a derailment can access the data before or as they are in route to the incident. As rail road tracks are very vulnerable some fool proof way needs to be developed to alert the trains or central operating stations if the tracks have been damaged or been tampered with. I am in favor of improving the crash worthiness of tank cars used to transport toxic-by-inhalation (TIH) hazardous materials. I have been in the fire service for 30 years and now the fire chief. We have to care for our people and community. I support this Tank car top fitting protection. Our community is small but a release in any community is disastrous. All rail cars should be retrofitted along with new rail car construction with stronger and safer protection. I support this initiative on behalf of life safety of our public and our responders. Please vote to protect our responders by making the tank car top fitting safer. I support HazMat First Responders [and] request that top-fitting protection be considered to transport toxic (poison) gas. [It] must be made safer. I support passage of this rule in the interest of life safety of fire and rescue personnel as well as the general public. I would like to see safety improvements in rail car safety improved for the hazmat responders. According to the research the top-fitting valve protection should be considered for additional safety measures. We are located in Rowan County. The Railroad is a major industry here with a I support any action to help the First Responders in their mission with the exposures to railcars. These are the people that protect the general pubic from a possible catastrophe. Thanks for all you do. Due to past incidents, if it is predictable it is preventable. Go to the source of the problem, it’s the best place to start! In favor of tank car top fitting protection. I support this petition. Being located in Stockton, CA we are the beneficiaries of having an inland sea port. The value of our Port to our economy is immeasurable. Our port is responsible for unloading many commodities from all over the world. One of our largest commodities is Anhydrous Ammonia. As a concerned citizen and businessperson, anything that could be done to minimize any potential for a leak would be a benefit to our responders and community. Here in the City of Burton we have rail lines that traverse within 1,000 feet of a local, highly populated High School. Our County Haz-Mat team would arrive from another jurisdiction approximately 8 miles away and is assembled with members from various departments in the county. The response time would therefore have a delay and since ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ it is our belief that the secondary containment feature on the rail cars could save countless lives. The Bridgeport Fire Department supports this measure. Reducing the chances of a leak resulting from damage to top mounted valves will save lives. The use of a C-kit is not only dangerous, tiresome work in itself; it is manpower intensive for the responding agencies. Today if an incident were to happen on one of the two railways that pass through our community, it would tap the resources our department and of those from many surrounding areas. While the direct dangers to the public and the responders of a tank leak are obvious, the stress to the capabilities of the county to cover any secondary responses is of large concern. Unfortunately, like so many areas, there is likely to be even less available resources in the future. I fully support improving rail tank car safety. Tank car top fitting protection will greatly reduce the exposure risk to both first responders and the public. Please consider Top Fitting Protection for Tank Cars. We have a railroad that runs right through the middle of town with 70 trains a day running through the town. As Fire Chief I strongly support requiring this mandatory safety device. We support the elimination of the “C” Kit. I support your petition. I am in full support of the petition to provide the proper safety equipment for first responders. I have been training Haz Mat Techs for over 10 years and I am in full support of any measure that could eliminate the need to deploy a level A team with a C kit. The risk is so great we should be using any means to protect our responders and the public. Secondary containment is an effective and cost efficient means of providing a greatly enhanced margin of safety for communities across North America who might otherwise be exposed to a dangerous release of toxic materials and we strongly support this initiative. I support installing C collars on tank cars to help our fire and EMS members when responding to an emergency. Anything we can do to try and eliminate potential injuries of our members is well worth the effort. Hamtramck Fire Department supports the secondary containment on rail cars. Hamtramck has a fair amount of rail going through it’s 2.2 square miles with a rail yard on it’s border. The safety of the residents and first responders is a priority. How can I support your petition? I am steadfast for safety especially when it can affect the pubic and great men and women who battle these events. Plus going into harm’s way while others are backing away. Regards, Greater crash protection for rail cars is just sound public policy! Secondary containment is a must we’ve got to have it or there will be more money spent on medical bills than it would have cost to do the RIGHT THING IN THE FIRST PLACE. We have two “C” kits to use in case of an emergency because we have two rail systems in use in our fire district let alone chlorine use in the Borough of Catawissa and Catawissa Township. They are vital to our first responder community in the Catawissa, PA area of Columbia County. I support your position and your petition. I support the secondary containment plan. I support the petition for secondary containment of toxic gases. First responders must have all the tools they need to do their job quickly and effectively to protect the communities they have sworn to serve. It is a dangerous job and we thank them for their valiant service. Tank Car Top Fitting Protection is a must for these public servants who risk their lives to protect us every day of the year. I support the petition! I support to replace “C” Kit with Secondary Containment. Our jurisdiction contains multiple rail lines. We fully endorse and encourage secondary containment. I support. The Tri-City Fire District strongly supports the concept of top-fitting protection. Eastern AZ Railroad splits our community; this rail line carries numerous tank cars from Tucson all the way to Miami. We have not had an incident in recent memory, but out neighboring communities have. We have had to respond to these to provide support. Please consider any efforts that can be taken to help reduce the risk of life and property damage. As I observed that transportation of such hazardous chemicals, gases or ingredients, etc., should be classified for their fire category, and then it should be transported under proper vigilance team of fire/safety, fire brigade or experienced consultant’s guidance. For these fire & safety concerned persons, department may have made new guidelines, etc., for public safety interest, and same should follow strictly as per standards. I support the docket for the safer transportation of Chlorine on the railroad. I support installing C collars on tank cars to help our fellow fire and EMS members when responding to an emergency. Even though my community is one that currently has no rail traffic, I’m a firm believer that anything we can do to try and eliminate the potential for injuries to our fellow fire service members is well worth the effort. I support the requests of this petition for the Chlorine “C” Kit. Anything that can be done to protect our first responders and citizens they serve is important to do. Safety of all personnel has to be considered. I strongly support secondary containment device. Anytime you can increase safety, and at the same time reduce the strain on your people, it only makes sense. Working on moving the kit down range and then getting it to the top of the car, in the heat and humidity of the Deep South, is only asking for trouble. Long overdue. Secondary containment will provide better for the safety of first responders and the public. While there may be higher costs associated with it, this is an important improvement that must be implemented. I support this Secondary Containment Petition. We support the top fitting safety for rail cars vs the “C” Kit. I support your petition. We have two trains transporting HazMat going through our town practically every day. I and our program support the replacement of any outdated equipment and replace it with safer items. I support this petition. Any available improvement in safety that is available should be taken if there is any chance that the improvement may reduce death and/or injury. For years residential sprinkler systems were available; however, it was finally in 2009 that action was taken to make them mandatory. How many lives could have been saved if they would have been required back when first brought to our attention in the 1980s? We have the opportunity to make something safer again. Now is the time to act before more accidents and deaths occur. Seems like a no-brainer. Anything that makes it safer for the public and first responders just needs to happen! I am in full support of the petition to provide the proper safety equipment for first responders. I support his petition. Please protect our guys/gals at whatever cost. I’ve been in the Fire Service for over 35 years (21 in the US Air Force), and in that time I’ve had to use the “C” Kit more times than I can remember. It is bulky, takes too much time to configure on the leaking container and unfortunately I’ve seen far too many responders who weren’t properly trained on its use. As an Assistant Chief of Operations in the early 90’s I started using secondary containment for the very reason that the “C” Kit was not fully effective. We were able to find sealed housing containers on the open market (about twice the size of a coffin), which was easily stored and transported for emergencies. I whole-heartedly support this initiative to replace an ancient device, which should have been scuttled to the scrape heap years ago. I support secondary containment. I support the petition. It’s common sense. As a volunteer fire department that has several rail lines going through the area I think it is important to protect our communities and first responders. I will always support a better and safe way to do things. I support the First Responders Petition to Replace “C” Kit with Secondary Containment. I think this is going to be a good thing to do. Any change that will allow for SAFETY of First Responders and the public I support. There are many First Responders that are not properly trained to begin with. Provide training and add and/all changes to HAZ MAT protocol/practices to allow for the SAFETY of all. I support this issue. The task of climbing up on the top of a rail car and then bringing up the kit, plus a Level A suit wears the technician out so quick. Once in place you aren’t suppose to move the rail car, now what? You have my support! I Agree!!! I support any effort to minimize risks related to Chlorine exposures. The Caledonia Fire District (Caledonia, NY) is home to a major manufacturer of Chlorine. Although we never had personnel exposure during my years there we had some releases. I fully support the notion that everyone goes home in the same condition they came in at the end of any incident. Any method better than the C kit should be pushed forward. I support the installation of secondary containment on chlorine rail tank cars. We must embrace improvements in safety features or face the responsibilities of unnecessary injuries and deaths in rail accidents. First responder safety must be first priority in everyone’s minds. I support you petition. Our town has a major railway that runs through our downtown area with about 25-30 trains per day passing through. I am all for the secondary containment on these rail cars. I support this petition. I support the replacement of the “C” kit with secondary containment to better protect our citizens and our emergency responders. I support you. Please place my name to your Petition. Changes have to be made to keep up with dangers that are out there. As we find out more we need not be complacent and keep updated. As a first responder I believe the benefits of secondary containment on fittings is crucial. Although Cl is not as common in our area, there are rail yards in our mutual aid areas. The amount of exposures to fire service personnel is unacceptable. This change will help reduce the exposure by providing proper equipment to contain leaks. The C kits are only good when there is room to use them. I have very little experience with those types of emergencies. The potential exists in both fire districts that I work for. I am all for anything that makes the job safer for us. I support this petition. As a hazmat responder on the largest full time hazmat team, any increase in protection to those dangerous materials will save lives, prevent injuries and save thousands of dollars in response costs. In these hard economic times we need prevention in any way we can get it. They would make our job easier. There is no thinking about this one. It should be a given when lives are at stake. No discussion needed. Pass it; let’s get it done. I support this Secondary Containment Petition. It’s not just for the safety of first responders, but the public as well, along with the rail workers. Less people affected, the better. As a firefighter I fully support this petition. As a former officer with a fire department I support all measures to protect all first responders and the public. As mayor I would like to thank you for this information. I support the requirement for secondary containment to more appropriately protect the general population and our nation’s first responders. I support the petition. I wholly support this petition. It’s time for industries to increase monetary and equipment support to Fire Departments and EMS agencies. We cannot afford to purchase more and more equipment to protect our first responders and the public at large. I support this Secondary Containment Petition. The safety of our community and our responders far outweigh any financial “burden” this may cause. Secondary containment is definitely the only way to go. You have our support! We have a rail line in our first due area that shares a right of way with an urban mass transit line. We have suffered a derailment into homes during my service here. When are we going to see action to shift the cost of managing the hazardous materials accidents off of the public and onto the manufacturers of the materials? I support to replace “C” kit with Secondary Containment. I would like you to strongly consider this technology for railroad tank cars. It is my belief that this could save countless dollars not to mention the impact that a release causes the environment. Any worthwhile improvement should be utilized to protect us and the community from these types of releases. I am in full support of your petition. This will make the job safer for the responders and give additional protection to the public. I strongly support this secondary containment petition. Would like to see secondary containment option. “C” clamping is not enough. As the Fire Department Safety Officer for Muddy Brook Fire Department (Woodstock, CT) I support this initiative. I agree it will result in safer incident and contribute significantly to the mitigation of the potential spill(s). I strongly support the incorporation of secondary containment and higher construction standards in the fabrication of bulk hazmat carriers. I have never had the unfortunate pleasure of working a “C” Kit other than during training. Everything that can be done to increase safety, when transporting highly toxic materials, should be done in the interest of not only Firefighter safety, but also public safety. I encourage the industry to take the necessary actions to eliminate the future use of the “Chlorine Institute C Kit” or any other similar device. Rail tank car accidents resulting in top-valve damage and toxic gas releases result in some of the largest incidents of any fire ground commander can face in their career. The potential for life lost exceeds nearly all other incident types, save an earthquake or 9/11 type attack. Secondary containment should be part of any similar hazardous material transportation system. If we require secondary containment on stationary AST and UST tanks containing flammable and hazardous materials. To require the same of transport vessels should be a “no-brainer.” I am in favor of tank car top fitting protection. I live right across from the railroad tracks in the town of Govan, SC. I like to see this protection because the safety of our town. Our fire dept is less than a block from the railroad. I have served on our dept for several years as a fire fighter until I hurt my back, but I continue to support the department. Any and I repeat ANY improvement that can be made to the current design of Haz-Mat tank cars should be done. Not only to increase the safety to the first responders that would be handling the leak initially but for the general public. We have a railroad running through the middle of our city so any additional preparation or safety measure that can be taken preemptively should be done. Emergency responders have long been tasked with providing support equipment and hazard mitigation for hazardous materials releases. With more budget cuts, this is becoming increasingly difficult and costly. We ask that the government mandate the chemical transportation and railroad industry to provide greater protection to their rail tank cars to prevent further releases. While this will be a substantial cost investment to the railroad and the shipper to add these safety features, we feel the cost is warranted to help protect our communities from accidental or terrorist caused releases. Secondary containment is common sense and we encourage you to listen to the voices of the first responders and implement the proposed changes we are seeking. Please do not let the lobbyists for industry or railroad influence you over their costs involved. We have the chance to put the people in our communities and our first responders first for once! “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I believe that in an effort to maintain a constant quality improvement stance is what is prudent. I support secondary containment on behalf of civilian and responder safety. I support the Petition. I support the requests of this petition for the Chlorine “C” Kit. Anything that can be done to protect our first responders and citizens they serve is important to do. Safety of all personnel has to be considered. We have 2 primary rail lines that run through the heart of our community and if something would happen it would effect several City and County buildings, retirement homes, two fire department stations, and numerous other facilities. Fully agree that there needs to be a better and/or improved system for responders top chlorine incidences. It is vital to require secondary containment on rail cars as the others have said. Using a C-Kit is dangerous and difficult in Level A suits as well as having to do so when car is in a derailment makes it even more dangerous. As a Fire Chief I support this concept completely. Releases from rail tank cars transporting toxic gas cause more than 8,000 exposures per year. The only repair option currently available for use by First Responders is the “C” Kit. I support Secondary Containment on Rail Cars! It’s not only for our safety, but the Public’s Safety too! This is long over due! I agree and support your petition. Not too often is there any breakthroughs in technology to make a firefighter’s job easier or less labor intensive, nonetheless safer . . . Agreed Please pass these life saving measures. As a Hazmat Specialist I fully support this petition. Any thing that can place us out of harms way when possible is a great idea. I think that anyone who has ever applied a “C” Kit in a level A Suit would agree. The San Francisco Fire Department Command Staff is in full support of your petition for secondary containment of railcars carrying hazardous materials. The safety of the first responders and the public are paramount when it comes to hazardous material transport. Usually, these toxic releases severely impact communities that were not to benefit from the transport of the material through their area. Anything to improve the safety of responders and the public. As both a retired career firefighter and current volunteer firefighter/hazmat tech, I support the petition for secondary containment on high-pressure rail cars. Having trained with the “C Kit” and having had to use it in a spill response, it just makes sense. As a company officer it is just another thing that would allow us all to go home after an incident. Anything this simple will require massive support and I urge every member of the fire service both career and volunteer to support this in any way we can. I worked 38 years in the powerhouse of a medium sized pulp mill. I am now retired from there. My last twenty (20) years at the mill I was also an industrial firefighter on the mill’s Emergency Response Team, the last 15 years as a shift Crew Captain. One of our roles was Haz Mat response, and I was one of the Haz Mat Tech’s. The mill received chlorine, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and other nice chemicals by tank car, so we had to train on the use of the “C-Kit.” Anything that can eliminate the need and danger of lugging one of those kits to the top of a tank car and installing it, while wearing an “A Class” suit, is a huge step in the right direction! Fortunately, we never had an actual incident needing its use. The training was bad enough, even on a fine day! I hope that you are successful in instituting this regulation. If America does it, Canada will soon follow. As a citizen and a member of the fire and rescue services I cannot fathom any reason to fail to enact laws that require any safety device of proven value such as this one. I realize there is always a financial cost to such requirements, however, it is the industry who makes the profits that has the obligation to provide the best and most effective and not the least expensive solutions and proactive and redundant safety equipment and protection for the community and its first responders. Government has the responsibility to protect society and those responsible for dealing with such problems, from the hazards of doing so, by laws designed to prevent catastrophe not simply responding after the fact. COSTS for the timely and state of the art improvements must be born by the industry who is allowed to profit of course and such costs should not be a reason and is never an adequate excuse for the failure to act. I fully support the requirement for such secondary containment outfitting of all tanks of any hazardous materials anywhere, both now manufacture and retroactively for all tanks in use, so that safety is immediately increased BEFORE the inevitable happens. First responders deserve any and all safety controls to protect them while they do their jobs. Monetary concerns should never take priority over lives. No discussion needed, just get it done!!! Life Safety is Priority #1. Our Lodge is supporting and want you to support First Responders “C” Kit. I wholeheartedly support this petition. The City of Chicago is the Midwest Hub of the Rail Industry. While there are over 3.5 million people in the City of Chicago, protecting their safety is no simple task. Supporting this petition is easy. Protection of LIFE and property is the primary issue here. Secondary containment of this type is essential and needs to be mandated, not to mention the need for the Homeland Security issues it would help to address. This will not be an easy task, but now is the time to Act. Don’t let the Rail Industry and shippers of these TIH products delay, Act now. That is why I am in favor of secondary Containment systems for TIH products. Remember, it’s not a matter of IF it happens, it is a matter of WHEN it happens. This is One Simple solution to making America a Safer Place to live, for all . . . I'm all in favor of better systems for containing leaks/spills on rail cars!!! I can't say anything more than what has already been said by the others on here!!! I strongly support this issue. Our dept. has no HAZMAT equipment in place at this time. As the Hazmat Team Leader I strongly support the Tank Car Top Fitting Protection Initiative. This rule is a benefit to all first responders and the general public as well. We support the First Responders Petition for Safer Rail Tank Cars Transporting Toxic Gas. If we as First Responders are responsible enough to better ourselves with the training, and doing the refresher courses to keep us at that level on Haz-mat situations which in-turn keeps us safe, then it is the responsibility of the legislation to step-up and do their job to protect us, as we protect the public that we serve. I strongly support passage of the tank car top fitting protection, on behalf of life safety for the general public and all safety forces that may be in harm’s way while responding to these events. Please implement Tank Car Top Fitting Protection. As Fire Marshal part of my worries are the rail lines that run through my community and the possible repercussions of an \"event\" in my jurisdiction or surrounding area. I support all efforts to increase and improve fire fighter and public safety. This is a no-brainer! I agree with the the group and I would ask the tanks be made safe. I understand that these releases are quite rare however it only takes one situation to disregard all that has been done to make this industry as safe as it is. We all will be asked why didn't we do anything if we knew there was a safer way to do it. We should be proactive and perform these upgrades and then when there is a release it will be a minimal impact and many lives could be saved, and much of the litigation which would go along with an accident. I strongly feel that any effort that can be taken to reduce the risk of life and property should be considered by those responsible We have a rail line that runs through the middle of our City. I strongly support secondary containment. Within the fire service we have to continue to change and be safer, sounds like a no brainer to me. Will help first responders and the general public. I support the petition! Safety and security for this nation is our job and prevention should be our number one priority. As industry progresses, it’s our duty to see that safety also keeps up. I support the secondary containment initiative for railway tank cars carrying toxic materials. I strongly support the petition from First Responders for Safer Rail Cars Transporting Toxic Gases. The most dangerous materials transported by rail are toxic, inhalation hazard chemicals. Described by homeland security as “weapons of mass destruction,” they are uniquely deadly and susceptible to terrorist attack. Any intentional or accidental release of toxic gas in a population center has the highest potential of being life threatening. I strongly support the implementation of rail car top fitting protection measures. Responders to incidents involving hazardous chemicals and rail cars need the additional protection afforded by these measures. Thank you. |
Stephen Craig Thompson - Greenville, PA - Greenville Fire Department