Investing in railway safety

Accidents in nearby states involving trains carrying crude oil have raised concerns over the safety of Minnesota’s railways and the people living near them. 

Gov. Mark Dayton in 2014 and Gov. Tim Walz in 2023 signed rail safety legislation into law to help protect those who live and work near railways that carry crude oil and other hazardous materials. The law includes:

• Increased oversight of railroad companies
• More railway inspections
• Better emergency response training and preparedness in communities across the state.

Rail safety training for first responders

Fire departments, tribal nations, emergency management teams, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, and city/county officials are eligible for funding to cover training and exercises in local jurisdictions that have rail or pipelines going through their communities. 

This training focuses on important safety considerations related to the transportation of hazardous commodities and the response our State Emergency Response Teams (SERTs).  

Exercise options

• Tabletop 
• Full-scale 
• Functional 
• Walk-through 
   

Training options

• Responder safety awareness and container/rail car identification. 
• Identification of hazardous materials, rail car and pipeline.
• How to request the SERTs and who to call.
• Joint Emergency Response Training Center (JERTC) at Camp Ripley. 
   

Cost

Exercises and trainings are reimbursable through an application with the SFM. 
 

Schedule your training

Exercises and trainings can be scheduled at the request of your agency or department. Send us an email to learn more or schedule a training. 

Rail safety information and resources

• Our State Emergency Response Teams include valuable resources for Minnesota fire departments, law enforcement agencies and other government entities. Click here to learn more about the State Emergency Response Teams. 
• MNDOT Freight Railroad Map
• MNDOT Frequently Asked Questions: Crude-by-rail transportation and safety in Minnesota
• Details about freight rail transportation in Minnesota can be found here.

How we help with rail safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) is involved with rail safety in the following ways:

• Working with railroad and pipeline companies in developing safety protocols and facilitating coordination between these companies and local public safety officials.
• Assisting local governments as they include emergency response information into their emergency operations plans.
• Collaborating with local emergency managers and responders to understand the dangers of oil and other hazardous substances traveling through Minnesota.
• Partnering with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the railroads to carry out the rail safety legislation.