News Releases

Safety

Emergency Responders from 11 States Complete Union Pacific's Advanced Tank Car Safety Training

Omaha, Neb., June 23, 2015

Union Pacific Railroad conducted advanced tank car safety training for 26 emergency response personnel from 11 states at the rail industry's testing facility in Pueblo, Colorado. The five-day course was held from June 8 - 12. Union Pacific paid for all attendees' expenses, with no cost to communities or organizations.

"Our advanced tank car safety programs are an important feature of our ongoing commitment to educating first responders in the communities we serve," said Mark Maday, Union Pacific's manager - hazardous materials training. "These five-day courses offer important information and more hands-on experience than our basic five-day course that responders can use in the unlikely event of a rail-related hazardous material incident."

The training covered a variety of safety subjects including how to identify tank car types, tank car construction features, and the fittings and safety appliances on tank cars. Participants received hands-on experience in assessing tank car damage, making repairs, controlling the release of hazardous materials from damaged rail cars and using proper protective clothing.

Class members also participated in a large-scale exercise that simulated a hazardous material incident. The exercise was intended to help students learn how to safely respond to a hazardous materials incident, as well as how to effectively work with Union Pacific in the event of such an incident.

The five-day, 40-hour courses were held at the Security and Emergency Response Training Center located at the Association of American Railroad's Transportation Technology Center near Pueblo, Colorado. Since 1986, Union Pacific has sponsored four five-day advanced training programs and 53 five-day training programs at the Transportation Technology Center.

Union Pacific regularly reaches out to fire departments as well as other emergency responders along its routes to offer comprehensive training to first responders in communities where the railroad operates. Each year, the company trains approximately 2,500 local, state and federal first-responders on ways to minimize the impact of a potential derailment. Union Pacific has trained nearly 38,000 public responders and almost 7,500 private responders (shippers and contractors) since 2003. This includes classroom and hands-on training.

Emergency response personnel from the following organizations attended the five-day course:

  • California:
    • Sacramento Fire Department, Sacramento
  • Illinois:
    • Chicago Fire Department, Chicago
    • DeKalb Fire Department, DeKalb
    • Mt. Vernon Fire Department, Mt. Vernon
  • Iowa:
    • Cedar Rapids Fire Department, Cedar Rapids
  • Kansas:
    • Salina Fire Department, Salina
  • Louisiana:
    • OMI Environmental Solutions, Belle Chase
  • Missouri:
    • St. Louis Fire Department, St. Louis
    • Jefferson County Haz Mat, Hillsboro
  • Nebraska:
    • Omaha Fire Department, Omaha
  • Oregon:
    • SMAF Environmental, Prineville
  • Texas:
    • United States Environmental Services, Deer Park
  • Wisconsin:
    • Milwaukee Fire Department, Milwaukee
  • Wyoming:
    • Rock Springs Fire Department, Rock Springs

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. From 2005-2014, Union Pacific invested more than $31 billion in its network and operations to support America's transportation infrastructure. The railroad's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

The statements and information contained in the news releases provided by Union Pacific speak only as of the date issued. Such information by its nature may become outdated, and investors should not assume that the statements and information contained in Union Pacific's news releases remain current after the date issued. Union Pacific makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, to update any of this information.

Media Contact

Mark Davis
402-544-5459
mwdavis@up.com
@davisuprr