Brown Proposing Regional ‘Hazardous Materials’ Firefighters
March 24, 2023 8:40AM EDT
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, testifies before a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on improving rail safety in response to the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
WASHINGTON, DC (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – There are a lot of fire departments across the state.
Many of them, like in East Palestine, are all-volunteer except for a paid chief.
That has U.S. Senator from Ohio Sherrod Brown working with Governor Mike DeWine on a plan to establish regional “hazardous materials” firefighters who would respond to such incidents outside their usual jurisdiction.
Brown says it makes sense to equip and train a limited number of firefighters in a region, and call them out as needed.
Brown says the railroads operating in Ohio will pay for the equipment and training.
