Washington-Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response (TRANSCAER), a voluntary nationwide outreach effort that helps communities prepare for and respond to hazardous material transportation incidents, has launched a nationwide Anhydrous Ammonia Training Tour to educate and train officials in 27 states on emergency response to anhydrous ammonia incidents. The tour focuses on a number of safety training topics, including sessions on ammonia properties, which cover both the physical and chemical properties of the chemical; what steps need to be taken to ensure ammonia is transported safely; hands-on training on how to use transport equipment properly; and information on emergency response necessary in case of an ammonia release. Another segment of the program covers the types of ammonia releases that could occur, and addresses indoor and outdoor release scenarios, defensive and offensive approaches to ammonia release incidences, flammability concerns, where and when to use water in dealing with an ammonia release, and control/containment measures. The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is one of TRANSCAER’s sponsors, along with the American Chemistry Council, the Association of American Railroads, CHEMTREC®, The Chlorine Institute Inc., the National Tank Truck Carriers Inc., the Renewable Fuels Association, and the National Association of Chemical Distributors. “The Fertilizer Institute is pleased to play a role in the development of this valuable training program for emergency responders,” said Ford West, TFI president. “Anhydrous ammonia plays a key role in U.S. food production, and this national initiative provides an excellent venue for amplifying our industry’s messages about the principles of safe ammonia handling and transportation.” The target audience for the tour events includes emergency responders, agricultural businesses, ammonia industry personnel, emergency management officials, public safety representatives, law enforcement agencies, and others involved in the transportation of anhydrous ammonia. The tour focuses on regions of the country where ammonia use in agriculture applications is prevalent. A listing of cities and states where the tour is taking place is available at www.TRANSCAER.com/events. More locations will be added throughout the year. In addition, training documents and videos will be available online at www.transcaer.com/aa-tour. “Effective emergency response begins with planning and preparation,” said Rollie Shook, chair of the National TRANSCAER Task Group and leader of emergency services and security for Dow Chemical Co. “Since anhydrous ammonia plays a large part in the agricultural, manufacturing, industrial, commercial, and transportation industries, emergency responders need the appropriate knowledge and skills to ensure protection of public health and the environment in the case of an accidental release incident.”
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