Knowing which hazardous materials are on a train is key to helping firefighters decide how to respond and whether evacuations are needed. The railroads worked with emergency responders to develop the AskRail app in 2014 that firefighters could download to their phones or the computers mounted within their fire trucks. That move made the AskRail information available to about 2.3 million firefighters with hazardous materials training. Railroads are trying to ensure the information is available in multiple places to reduce the chances that firefighters will struggle to find out what is on a train after a derailment. If that effort succeeds across the Atlanta-based railroad's 22-state network in the East, the other major railroads could follow.

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Persons: “ It’s, ”, Eric Brewer, “ We’re, Jessica Kahanek, Jose Mejia Organizations: —, Norfolk Southern, Association of American Railroads, Railroads, Norfolk Locations: OMAHA, Neb, Norfolk, Ohio, East Palestine , Ohio, Pennsylvania, Beaver County , Pennsylvania, East Palestine, United States, Canada, Atlanta, Norfolk Southern, railyards