First on the Scene: Emergency Response Actions at the East Palestine Train Derailment

presented by

Kurt Kollar

On-Scene Coordinator,

Office of Emergency Response, Ohio EPA

East Palestine, Ohio residents are no strangers to the sight and sound of a freight train rolling through their town. However, they had never experienced anything like the night of February 3, 2023, when 52 cars from a Norfolk and Western freight train derailed in the middle of their community. Kurt Kollar, who has extensive experience in coordinating emergency responses for other train derailments, was the first person from the Ohio EPA to arrive at the scene. Join us as Kurt highlights the details and challenges of coordinating the disaster response in East Palestine.

Kurt Kollar has worked for the Ohio EPA for over 32 years with 26 years as an On-Scene Coordinator in the Office of Emergency Response (OER). Kurt had prior experience working for environmental remediation and consulting firms. He was a project manager for the Formerly Utilized Sites Remediation Program which involves the cleanup of radioactive contaminated sites associated with the country’s WW II nuclear weapons development initiative. He is experienced in the National Incident Management System and is a member of the Ohio EPA’s Strike Team for responding to state-wide environmental emergencies.

As an On-Scene Coordinator, Kurt investigates and coordinates the cleanup of hazardous materials, oil and other pollutants released into the environment. He has managed the cleanup of spills ranging from home heating oil tanks, pipelines, train derailments and chemical facilities. Kurt was the first responder for the Ohio EPA to the East Palestine train derailment and maintained a lead role throughout the emergency response phase.