NS 9-1-1 honors first responders

At Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, Norfolk Southern dedicated its latest commemorative locomotive, an SD60E painted in a vibrant red, white and black livery with gold accents and insignia recognizing police, fire, and emergency services, honoring first responders. Numbered 9-1-1, the locomotive will enter general revenue service on NS’s 22-state network.

No. 9-1-1, its paint scheme designed by NS’s Visual Communications department and painted at the railroad’s Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa., features the Maltese Cross of fire services, the Emergency Medical Services’ “Star of Life,” and the Police shield. It also features the logo for Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER), a national outreach organization dedicated to providing education and resources to help raise the level of emergency preparedness for the unlikely event of a rail incident. “9-1-1” recognizes the national universal phone number to request emergency assistance, as well as the Norfolk Southern OAR (Operation Awareness & Response) shield. OAR is an NS program to educate the public about the economic importance of the safe movement of hazardous materials by rail to connect emergency first responders in NS communities with information and training resources.

NS says it is “a nationally recognized leader in providing training and educational resources to first responders. NS earned TRANSCAER’s 2014 National Achievement Award, the 15th time TRANSCAER has recognized NS for its efforts to help communities prepare for and respond to hazmat transportation incidents.” The railroad conducted or participated in 98 TRANSCAER community outreach events in 17 states during 2014. These included classroom and hands-on training, tabletop simulations and full-scale exercises that provided training for 5,442 emergency first responders. NS assisted in the development of the AskRail app that allows first responders to use their mobile phones to look up commodity and response information on shipments. NS also reaffirmed its commitment to providing high-level training at the Security and Emergency Response Training Center at TTCI in Pueblo, Colo.

“The relationships we have with first responders across our network are vital components of operating a safe transportation system,” said NS President and CEO Jim Squires. “We hope everyone who sees this locomotive will think about the dedication, the expertise and the sacrifices first responders make to serve our communities. We at Norfolk Southern are grateful for their support, bravery, and partnership. Incidents involving trains and hazardous materials are rare. This is a safe mode of transportation. To make it even safer, communities and Norfolk Southern work together to raise the level of emergency preparedness, which is why we continuously facilitate training, dialogue and partnerships with emergency response leaders across our network.”