OTTAWA, June 16, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada's railways today released a new promotional video about the AskRail app – a mobile application that gives first responders real-time information about railcar contents in the event of a rail emergency.
Paul Boissonneault, President of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, and Michael Bourque, President of the Railway Association of Canada, appear in the video along with members of Vaughan's Fire and Rescue Service, to explain how AskRail works and how emergency responders can sign up to access the app.
Developed by the Association of American Railroads and its members, including CN and CP, the AskRail mobile app allows emergency responders across North America to see railcar contents through a simple search, to view railway emergency contact information, and to reference resources to support incident response.
Canadian railways already provide municipalities with regular reports about the dangerous goods moving through their communities, including the number of unit trains, the percentage of railway cars carrying dangerous goods, and the nature and volume of those goods. But the AskRail app goes further – giving emergency responders another tool to use in responding to a railway incident. So far more than 2,000 first responders across Canada have signed up to use the app.
Emergency responders wishing to access English or French versions of the AskRail app should contact CN at [email protected] or CP at [email protected]. More information about the AskRail app is available at http://www.railcan.ca/safety/dangerous_goods/askrail.
About the Railway Association of Canada
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) represents more than 50 freight and passenger railway companies that move 75 million people and $280 billion worth of goods in Canada each year. As the voice of Canada's railway industry, RAC advocates on behalf of its members and associate members to ensure that the rail sector remains globally competitive, sustainable, and most importantly, safe. Learn more at www.railcan.ca. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC)
Founded in 1909, the CAFC represents fire service leaders from across Canada promoting the highest standard of public safety in an ever changing and increasingly complex world. CAFC meets the emerging challenges and threats to the Canadian public through national leadership, advocacy and active collaboration with all stakeholders interested in public safety. For more information on the CAFC, visit our website: www.cafc.ca
SOURCE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
Video with caption: "Railways partner with Canadian fire chiefs to promote the AskRail™ app". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky0oLjxBCO0
Sarah Mayes, Railway Association of Canada, 613-564-8097, [email protected]
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