Minnesota study shows lack of oil safety training

ST. PAUL -- Many Minnesota public safety workers say they are not prepared to deal with an oil train or pipeline accident.

They told the state Public Safety Department they are not adequately trained and some did not know what type of equipment they need to fight an oil fire, the department said in a report released Thursday. Public safety workers also lack knowledge about what railroad and pipeline company and other resources are available in case of an accident.

"As a whole, first responders surveyed for this study rated their area’s preparedness for an oil transportation incident as below moderate (2.6 on a 1 to 5 scale)," the report indicated. "None of the responders rated their area’s preparedness as excellent."

The report added: "Local governments generally do not have the equipment or personnel to respond to a significant oil transportation incident, such as a large spill or fire."

Oil safety has become a major issue after some highly publicized wrecks of trains carrying crude oil from western North Dakota wells.

Ten trains with at least 100 cars each are filled in North Dakota's Bakken oil field on average each day, with seven passing through Minnesota en route to refineries in eastern and southern Unites States. Canadian oil also moves through Minnesota.

Six of the North Dakota trains run from Moorhead through the Twin Cities, then south along the Mississippi River. The seventh goes south through western Minnesota.

Two legislative transportation leaders, both Minneapolis Democrats, said the new report is a wake-up call for the need to improve oil transportation safety.

"There are gaps in our response to a major oil spill or fire that put Minnesotans at risk," Rep. Frank Hornstein said. "The railroad and pipeline companies need to better address safety."

Sen. Scott Dibble called for changes.

“It is alarming that emergency officials in local communities rate their area's preparedness for an oil transportation incident as below moderate," Dibble said. "We need to make it a high priority for our local emergency agencies to have the tools, information and training to keep our communities and themselves safe."

Dibble and Hornstein said that the study indicates that almost every county in Minnesota is along or near a train or pipeline route carrying oil.

Hornstein praised the report's recommendation that pipeline companies be held to higher standards for rapid response to a major oil spill.

Legislators last year approved additional funding for training, track inspection and railroad crossing safety measures. Lawmakers this year are considering more actions to improve safety.

The Thursday report was ordered by the Legislature in preparation for this year's decisions.

It showed that basic training is lacking, but that is only the first step. Among the training needs is how to decide whether to evacuate nearby homes and businesses, and figuring out what equipment is available from railroads, pipelines and other emergency agencies.

The reports indicated that other emergency personnel need to be trained, not only firefighters. Also, the public and elected officials "should develop more awareness of oil and hazardous materials risks and of emergency management generally."

Some personnel suggested that stronger ties to nearby agencies would increase readiness to battle oil disasters.

Foam needed to fight oil fires was among the items that emergency personnel said is lacking in their agencies.

The report did not estimate how much money is needed to fix oil safety problems, but suggested funding regional needs instead of individual departments.

Public Safety officials say in the report that they will work within existing organizations to improve the state's preparedness. They said that their emergency management division will increase basic oil safety training, and plan large-scale drills with hands-on training.

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The report is at tinyurl.com/oilsafety