
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 1, 1994                   TAG: 9410030040
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

`TRAINING' FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

While most Roanokers go about their normal business, a handful of professionals quietly spend their days preparing for something they hope will never happen - a disaster involving hazardous material.

On Monday, a special train will start from Roanoke on a "whistle-stop" tour to increase public awareness about emergency response planning.

The train, hosted by Norfolk Southern Corp., will stop at six communities along the way to New Orleans. Representatives of railroads, trucking companies and chemical manufacturers will be on board to share information with local emergency response planners.

Roanoke-region fire, paramedic and other emergency responders will have a chance to tour specialized vehicles, railroad training tank cars and trucks.

The train tour is sponsored by Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response, a cooperative effort by transportation and chemical industries. The group, in conjunction with Union Pacific Railroad, last year hosted the first whistle-stop tour, which went from Chicago to Baton Rouge, La.

The program in Roanoke begins at 8 a.m. at the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Roanoke plant on Shenandoah Avenue and is open to the public.

by CNB