For Immediate Release
Contact:  Matt Schilling
(614) 466 7750

PUCO awards seven hazardous materials training grants

COLUMBUS, OHIO (April 7, 2016) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today approved seven hazardous materials training grants totaling $229,796. The grants will be used to train more than 1,400 hazardous material incident response professionals.

The PUCO plays an important role in ensuring that motor carriers are safely transporting hazardous materials throughout Ohio. Through the PUCO’s hazardous materials training grant program, public safety and emergency services personnel across Ohio are awarded grants for training to best respond to incidents related to hazardous materials.

The PUCO awarded the following grants:

  • Cincinnati State Technical and Community College – The college will receive $75,000 to conduct the Hazmat Annual Refresher course and Hazmat Technician courses to train approximately 435 responders.
  • City of Toledo – Division of Environmental Services – The city will receive $20,000 to provide a Hazmat Refresher course, Radiation Awareness training, Hazmat Awareness course, Hazmat IQ/Below the Line course, Hazmat IQ First Responder Offensive course, Hazmat Safety Officer course, and a Hazmat Technician course to train approximately 700 responders.
  • Clermont County Emergency Management Agency and Local Emergency Planning Committee – The agency and committee will receive $4,200 to conduct the county’s hazardous materials functional exercise to implement and review the county’s hazardous material spill response plan.
  • Clinton County Local Emergency Planning Committee – The committee will receive $19,596 to conduct a hazardous materials functional exercise to implement and review the county’s hazardous material spill response plan.
  • University of Findlay – The university will receive $75,000 to conduct several hazardous materials courses for volunteer fire departments throughout Ohio. There will be 56 courses made available to emergency responders during the 2016–2017 education cycle.
  • Wayne County Regional Training Facility – The training facility will receive $20,000 to conduct a Hazmat Technician course, Emergency Response Hazmat Specialist Ammonia course and six Hazmat Refresher courses to train approximately 160 responders.
  • Wyandot County Emergency Management Agency – The agency will receive $16,000 to conduct a Hazmat Technician course, Emergency Response Hazmat Specialist course, Hazmat Refresher course, Hazmat Operations course and a Hazmat Awareness course to train approximately 89 responders.

The PUCO awards hazardous materials planning and training grants to local government subdivisions, educational institutions and state agencies in Ohio. Money for these grants comes from fines paid by hazardous material carriers and shippers. Individual grants are based upon applications to the PUCO and are awarded on a reimbursement basis.

The PUCO has regulatory authority to conduct audits, inspections and safety reviews to evaluate the safety records, policies and procedures of motor carriers, including hazardous materials carriers. The PUCO hazardous materials transportation program has been recognized by Battelle Memorial Institute as one of the best and most comprehensive of such programs in the nation.

For more information about the PUCO’s hazardous materials planning and training grants program, please visit the motor carrier section of www.PUCO.ohio.gov.

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The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. Consumers with utility-related questions or concerns can call the PUCO Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.

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