(The following story by Randy Griffith appeared on The Tribune-Democrat website on March 20.)
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Johnstown firefighters got to use their new hazardous materials training late Tuesday in what turned out to be a nonhazardous spill from a train derailment.
“We quickly found out what the contents were and were able to determine there was no danger,” fire Chief Tony Kovacic said.
Corn syrup and soybean products spilled from eight cars of a Norfolk Southern Railway train that left the tracks in the Woodvale section of the city.
Firefighters responded at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday to the derailment on a spur just off Maple Avenue between the Dellwood Street Bridge and the Maple Avenue Bridge.
The responding firefighters had just completed training and testing for national certification in hazmat response, Kovacic said.
“We have been – for the last three months – going through some preparatory training for the certification testing,” Kovacic said. “It’s all fresh in their minds.”
Three of the department’s four platoons have completed certification testing, and the final platoon is scheduled for testing today.
“We are trying to tie everything into national certification,” Kovacic said. “In the end, 38 of our 43 firefighters will have the hazmat technician certification. It gives us the opportunity to handle anything.”