by David Baer
Norfolk Southern broke ground on a new regional safety training center for first responders on Thursday, September 21, 2023. Located on the NS Fort Wayne Line, at mile 51.2, in East Palestine, Ohio, the new center will provide free, ongoing training on a wide range of emergency sce-narios including specialized training for transportation-related incidents. The expertise developed will lead to strengthened coordination between railroads and first responders in emergency situations.
Norfolk Southern will invest at least $20 million in the new center, and will cover operating costs for the center for the next 10 years. The center will operate through a partnership with the Village of East Palestine, at no cost to the Village or taxpayers. In addition to emergency training, the facility will also be the new home for the East Palestine Fire Department.
Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H. Shaw spoke at the ground-breaking and explained value of supporting first responders in the region. “First responders are the true heroes,” said Shaw. “What we are going to build here is something that reflects my appreciation for the first responders in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia who helped this community.”