Train derailment exercise seeks to identify how to improve collaboration, response capabilities

Transport Canada and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) conducted an exercise in British Columbia this past weekend to shed light on how to improve Canada’s response capabilities and future training curriculum for emergency responders in the event of an incident involving a train carrying flammable liquids, such as crude oil.

Exercise Vulcan – a two-day, full-scale hands-on exercise held Mar. 12-13 by Transport Canada and DRDC, an agency of the Department of National Defence – involved rail operators, industry responders, remedial experts and first responders from B.C.’s Lower Mainland and Thompson-Okanagan regions, notes a statement issued Saturday by Transport Canada.

“This is one of many ongoing activities supported by the Government of Canada to improve response capabilities following the Lac-Mégantic train derailment,” Transport Canada reports. “Ultimately, the lessons learned from this exercise will help shape the development of future training curriculum for emergency responders across Canada.”

“The events of July 6, 2013, at Lac-Mégantic have opened a lot of people’s eyes,” Denis Lauzon, fire chief for the Quebec community, emphasizes in the statement. “Flammable liquids transported by rail or by road have been increasing every year and fire/emergency services must respond to a growing number of calls and to situations previously unknown to them,” Lauzon says.

Related: TSB assesses damage from crude oil train derailment

“The implementation of this exercise will give us an opportunity to further our knowledge of flammable liquids, of the best response techniques, of how to work safely at a derailment site, and, more importantly, of how to work in a common command system so that all responders can speak the same language and understand each other,” he adds.

The Transport Canada statement notes that the exercise, on the first day, included firefighters conducting a thorough site assessment – the idea was to explore with industry partners how best to deal with a fire involving flammable liquids and learn the different types of equipment and resources available from partners should such an incident occur. That was followed on the second day by a full-scale field exercise simulating a rail incident resulting in a large spill and fire involving a flammable liquid.

“First responders play a crucial role in responding to a railway incident, especially when dangerous goods are involved,” says federal transport minister Marc Garneau. “Their swift action in a rail emergency can help to reduce the impact of an incident and keep the communities they serve safe,” Garneau suggests, adding that Transport Canada remains committed to supporting communities along Canada’s rail corridors.

“Exercise Vulcan provides municipal responders with a unique opportunity to work with federal and industry experts to improve response capabilities, bringing benefits to their local communities,” defence minister Harjit Sajjan says in the statement.

Ralph Goodale, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, adds that “ensuring that first responders and industry experts have the tools and training they need is an important part of ensuring effective response and recovery efforts in responding to disasters, including rail incidents.”

Related: Federal investigator discusses Lac-Mégantic at Engineering Insurance Conference