The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with the Industrial Steel Drum Institute and TRANSCAER®, will host safety training in Davenport, Iowa early next month. The free seminars are funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER grant. The seminar will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, and will be held at the Scott County Emergency Operations Center, 1100 E. 46th Street, in Davenport. The session has two parts: The Ethanol Safety Seminar is designed for individuals who respond to ethanol-related emergencies, as well as those who work at fixed-facilities and transport fuel. It focuses on numerous important areas of ethanol safety, including an introduction to ethanol and ethanol-blended fuels, chemical and physical characteristics of ethanol and hydrocarbon fuels, transportation and transfer, storage and dispensing locations, firefighting foam principles, general health and safety considerations and storage and pre-planning considerations. The Steel Drums 101 Seminar provides first responders with helpful information to better comprehend the components of steel drums, from understanding the difference between an open-head and a tight-head steel drum, to being able to interpret the UN marking. The instructor will dive into the vital safety standards first responders need to know. The event is free to attend, and lunch will be provided; however, registration is limited and required. All attendees must register at www.transcaer.com/training/training-events. Certificates of Attendance will be awarded following the completion of the seminar for the ethanol portion of the training. TRANSCAER is a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and to respond to a possible hazardous materials transportation incident. The acronym stands for Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response.
