This guidance being developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to improve the emergency preparedness of railroad yards that handle shipments of hazardous materials and the communities adjacent to those yards is summarized in this paper. Compared with the volume of hazardous materials that pass through railyards, comparatively few accidents have occurred. However, several of those accidents have had severe consequences, and there is potential for truly catastrophic consequences. Thus, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that FEMA develop emergency preparedness guidance for operators of railroad yards and the communities adjacent to those yards. The guidance focuses on planning for potential emergencies, pre-positioning equipment and other necessary resources, training personnel, and periodically testing plans and procedures to ensure their effectiveness and timely deployment. (A)
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