Alert assistance for local emergency response training provides funding for non-profit organizations capable of delivering direct or remote web-based training to emergency responders

The Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration awarded The Center for Rural Development, Inc. $500,000 on October 1, 2025 under the Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training (ALERT) program to deliver training on rail car incident response for crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable liquids to emergency responders nationwide.

The Center for Rural Development will conduct more than 100 mobile, in-person, and instructor-led course deliveries, with an estimated 2,000 to 2,500 volunteer, tribal, and rural emergency responders receiving training during the award period. The program aims to improve first responder training and enhance safety in transportation of crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable liquids.

The award period runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in Somerset, Kentucky. The Center for Rural Development is a tax-exempt nonprofit community development corporation specializing in emergency management, homeland security, hazardous materials response, and pipeline safety training.

University of Findlay serves as a sub-grantee, providing 50 deliveries of the Railcar Incident Response course with at least 20 participants each, utilizing railcar simulators as visual aids for participants.

Deliverables/expected outcomes. Improved 1ST responder training, and in particular, enhanced safety in transportation of crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable liquids. Intended beneficiary. Grantee local area; web-based training may have nationwide benefits, subrecipient activities: no known subrecipients. Funding for the center for rural development $4,415 (government share) for the alert grant. The CRD proposes to conduct more than 100 deliveries of mobile, in-person, and instructor-led courses titled rail car incident response for crude, ethanol, and other flammable liquid across the nation. IT is estimated that 2,000 2,500 volunteer, tribal, and rural emergency responders will receive training during the FY25 award."