Pipeline safety agency awards grants for firefighter training

Washington — The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is providing more than $41 million in grants for hazardous materials safety programs and hazmat training for firefighters.

According to a Department of Transportation press release, the grants are being awarded to states, nonprofit organizations, territories, tribes and unions to help enhance 11 different hazardous materials safety programs.

Among them:

• $21.9 million in Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness grants for states, territories and tribes to aid in the development, implementation and improvement of emergency plans for local and tribal communities and first-responder hazardous materials training.
• $4 million in Hazardous Materials Instructor Training grants to support the training of hazmat instructors and for such instructors to train hazmat employees.
• $2.7 million in Supplemental Public Sector Training grants to support the training of hazmat instructors who conduct hazmat training programs for first responders.
• $2.6 million in Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training grants to support the training of volunteer or remote emergency responders to respond to incidents involving hazmat shipments by rail.

In addition to its hazardous materials grants, PHMSA also announced more than $9.2 million in grant funding for five different pipeline safety grant programs.

That funding includes $2.4 million in Pipeline Emergency Response grants to support incident response activities related to the transportation of gas or hazardous liquids by pipelines, including the training of emergency responders on how to respond to pipeline incidents.

“These funds are focused on supporting the people and organizations that keep us safe from pipeline and hazardous material accidents,” PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown said in the release. “Whether it’s training firefighters on how to deal with hazardous materials emergencies or encouraging the use of calling 811 to prevent injuries from encounters with underground infrastructure, these grants are essential for equipping communities and everyday citizens with the necessary tools to protect themselves from potentially dangerous accidents.”