(The following story by John Arthur Hutchison appeared on the News-Herald website on October 18.)
PAINESVILLE, Ohio — CSX Railroad has agreed to pay for costs incurred by first responders to the Oct. 10 train derailment in Painesville, U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette said Wednesday.
LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township, said he spoke personally with Tony Ingram, CSX’s chief operating officer, on Friday, and the agreement was reached.
The congressman shared his announcement Wednesday as part of his testimony in support of the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007.
“I greatly appreciate that, and know this will be a huge relief to communities whose budgets cannot handle such a catastrophe,” LaTourette said. “While CSX is doing its best to minimize the damage this derailment has caused, it goes to show that when accidents do happen, the disruption is enormous.
“We must do everything we can to prevent these types of incidents from occurring, and the bill before this Congress today takes a number of steps in the right direction.”
CSX spokesman Gary Sease said the company has paid first responders’ costs before, and confirmed that it will do so in this case.
“That’s a fairly standard response we have in incidents like this,” he said. “Certainly, the firefighters, police officers and others were out there for consecutive hours using their equipment and resources, and we certainly want to make sure we cover those costs so they aren’t borne by the taxpayers.”
Sease said CSX plans to work with first responders to determine their costs.
Painesville City Manager Rita McMahon said the reimbursement agreement is good news.
“We still don’t have an exact amount yet; we are working on putting together the amount of overtime, particularly the time police and fire incurred. It could be more than 1,000 hours between the two,” she said. “You don’t think about it when you’re in the middle of a crisis, but when you sit down after the fact, it’s nice to know there is a source of funding.”
Painesville Township Administrator Lee Bodnar also was pleased to learn of the news.
“That’s an added benefit that no one was expecting,” he said. “Everyone involved did what they were supposed to do, and to find out the costs will be reimbursed is something that wasn’t expected.”
Painesville Township Fire Chief Frank Whittaker, who also is a coordinator with the Lake County Hazard Intervention Team, said reimbursements for this type of incident are part of the Ohio Revised Code.
He said the process would include reimbursement for people who had to be called in for overtime, and for time committing equipment such as trucks and rescue squads to the scene.
It also would reimburse for one-time expenses such as the use of foam, which can cost $19 to $20 a gallon.
Sease said CSX also is working to help residents who were inconvenienced or whose property was damaged during the incident.
The spokesman cited an example of a male evacuee who had a business trip planned and did not have a business suit available, so he went out and purchased a suit. CSX will reimburse him the cost, Sease said.
A CSX outreach center will remain in operation in Painesville until Friday, Sease said. If people also want to call to speak with a company representative, he asks them to call (877) 835-5279.