‘Operation Crazy Train’ exercise brings together first responders across NW Indiana
ARGOS, Ind. -- What may have looked like a real disaster in the small town of Argos Thursday afternoon was actually a large-scale emergency preparedness exercise.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security led a train derailment simulation in Marshall County. It was the first time this type of training event had been held in Argos, designed to test how local, regional, and state responders would handle a train derailment releasing hazardous materials.
Called “Operation Crazy Train,” the exercise brought together firefighters, hazmat teams, and emergency managers from across Northwest Indiana for a realistic, hands-on scenario.
The centerpiece of the simulation was a specialized Norfolk Southern training car that has been traveling the country as a training tool since 2017. In the drill, it served as the source of a staged chemical leak, complete with simulated vapors.
“It’s so important for us to build these relationships and do this before these real-world events happen,” said Mary Moran, Director of Emergency Management and Preparedness for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
Argos was selected for the event because of its similar geographical makeup, resources, and demographic to East Palestine, Ohio, the community devastated by a real train derailment in 2023.
“The good thing is that train accidents aren’t frequent events,” Moran said.
“However, they can have pretty big consequences if they occur. Luckily, Indiana has not had that type of event yet, so we are building preparedness and resilience in case we do,” Moran added.
Students from Argos High School joined in by roleplaying as concerned citizens and protestors attempting to breach the perimeter of the disaster scene.
“I think it’s helping the firefighters figure out what they would do in a situation like this,” said America Ringer, one of the student participants.
Although many of the teams involved are already trained for these type of emergencies, officials say this kind of hands on experience helps them identify any gaps or areas to work on.
“It’s been very high stress. Things are going quickly, which they do in an emergency,” said Jack Garner, Director of the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency. “We don’t experience those emergencies every day, so it’s good to be put in these situations so that when real ones happen, you feel more cool and collected.”
Thursday’s event was only phase one of the exercise. On Friday, teams will shift focus from immediate response to recovery.
IHS is encouraging everyone to have a plan for this type of emergency as well, more information can be found at: https://www.in.gov/dhs/
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