Marla Jones, Managing Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala.-- On Tuesday, November 30th, the Fort Payne Fire Department received a train car for training in hazmat material spills from Norfolk Southern Railroad. 

The train car was part of a derailment in Birmingham, which occurred earlier this year. According to Norfolk Southern spokesperson, Connor Spillmaker, the company was proud to deliver this train car to the Regional Training Center for use in the Alabama Fire College. The train car would have been carried off as scrap but now will be used in helping train first responders across North Alabama. 

The Fort Payne Fire Department is one of the top Fire Colleges bringing in trainees from across Alabama. 

“I have tried my whole fire career, which spans over thirty-one years, to obtain such a valuable training tool,” stated Fort Payne Fire Chief, Ron Saferite. “I appreciate Norfolk Southern for facilitating this for our department.”