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Feb 22, 2011 5:00 PM

Safety is the top priority for America’s ethanol industry and those who transport and bring ethanol to the marketplace. With this commitment in mind, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and numerous Clean Cities Coalitions (CCCs) are hosting a series of Ethanol Safety Seminars at several locations throughout the United States. These seminars are free. While primarily targeting first responders, hazmat teams, safety managers, and local emergency planning committees, they are also open to the general public.

As a part of the Alternative Fuels Trade Alliance, the RFA and CCCs are able to hold these seminars through the $1.6 million grant received from the US Department of Energy (DOE). This grant has been used to raise public awareness and foster understanding of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies across the country. The goal of these seminars is for attendees to gain a full ethanol emergency response training experience they can put to use immediately in the field, as well as pass along to other first response teams. A majority of this training is based on the Complete Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response, a training package created by the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC) that has been distributed throughout the United States and to several nations.

Already underway, the Ethanol Safety Seminars have been held in Harrisburg PA and will be held at eight more locations in 2011, including the Boston MA metropolitan area; Charlotte NC; Houston and Beaumont TX; Portland OR; Stockton CA; Indianapolis IN; and in northeastern OH. As more than 50% of fire departments in the United States are volunteer-based, each location will have a morning and afternoon session in order to accommodate schedules and reach as many participants as possible. Each safety seminar is conducted with the local Clean Cities Coordinator and is taught by a professional trainer with a background in firefighter/hazmat materials response. The RFA has been working with state fire academies to offer certificates of training or participation that can be used toward their local department’s training requirements.

For more information or to sign up for the seminars, visit www.rfa.traincaster.com.