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BNSF TRANSCAER Training Tour Coming to Whitefish

"We are very excited about bringing this training program to emergency responders in Northwest Montana," said Allen Stegman, general director of BNSF's environmental department. "Integrating BNSF's responders with the public emergency response teams across our network is a major goal of this training program. It helps us all understand how we can work together and educates public responders about the many resources BNSF can provide to assist in the event of any hazardous material emergency."

The news media is welcome to cover the training exercises which will be conducted in Whitefish from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. near the historic Whitefish Depot on June 14, 15 and 16. Evening sessions will also be offered and are geared for volunteer fire fighters that are trained to the OSHA Awareness, or Operations level. These sessions are designed to help volunteer responders learn more about the railroad and rail equipment, including knowledge of communications and safety when responding to a rail incident. The BNSF hazmat team has trained more than 1700 emergency responders in 11 states so far in 2010, including Ariz., Calif., Ill., Kan., Minn., Miss., N.D. Ore., S.D., Wash. and Wyo. Future training events are scheduled for British Columbia, Montana, Utah and a return to Wyoming and Illinois. The Montana tour will be conducted in two stages.

Training sessions will be held in Whitefish, June 14 - 16 and in Great Falls, June 23, 24 - 25. Laurel, Livingston, Helena and Missoula, Mont., are scheduled for October in conjunction with Montana Rail Link and Montana TRANSCAER.

BNSF conducts the training sessions with the support of TRANSCAER, a voluntary, nationwide community outreach program that helps communities prepare for and respond to a possible hazardous material transportation incident. TRANSCAER volunteers consist of representatives from chemical producers, distributors, railroads, tank truck shippers, first responders and government agencies. TRANSCAER is sponsored by the American Chemistry Council, Association of American Railroads, Chemical Educational Foundation, CHEMTREC, The Chlorine Institute, Inc., and National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc.

About BNSF

BNSF Railway is one of North America's leading freight transportation companies operating on 32,000 route miles of track in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF is one of the top transporters of consumer goods, grain, industrial goods and low-sulfur coal that help feed, clothe, supply, and power American homes and businesses every day. BNSF and its employees have developed one of the most technologically advanced, and efficient railroads in the industry. And we are working continuously to improve the value of the safety, service, energy, and environmental benefits we provide to our customers and the communities we serve. You can learn more about BNSF at www.BNSF.com.

BNSF Railway
Gus Melonas, 206-625-6220