JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX is leading the way in making sure we stay safe, despite anything its trains may be transporting.
Action News Jax got a behind-the-scenes look at a new hands-on training institute.
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CSX Director of Hazardous Materials Speaker Joseph Taylor, CSX police, and others gave us an exclusive look at how CSX and first responders train for hazardous materials incidents.
“We have a prop you could actually walk inside a car and look at all the features and what a car would look like,” Taylor said.
The hands-on training is designed to give participants a realistic experience.
“Well, the goal was to ultimately immerse the student into the experience and for it to be hands on, not to be a replica. We wanted it to full scale, full size, so that they get the actual experience,” Taylor said.
Through the hands-on exercises and specialized equipment, first responders working for CSX are immersed in realistic emergency-response scenarios.
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“We have approximately 1,200 feet of track that has rail cars of all various types, sizes, shapes that are upright and on the track so that we can talk about what they look like,” Taylor said.
After two years in the making, the facility is now up and running at Florida State College at Jacksonville South Campus at its Fire Academy of the South.
“We cargo them for training purposes,” Taylor said.
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The goal is to keep everyone safe and prepared if needed.
“Over 99% of hazardous materials transported by rail make it to the destination without incident. In the unlikely event that we have an incident, it’s best to prepare in a safe environment today,” Taylor said.
The long-term goal is for FSCJ students to also be able to use the training site. Officials told Action News Jax that conversations to make that happen are already in the works.
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