Hazardous materials in transportation present unique challenges to emergency responders, emergency planners, enforcement personnel, and other state and local government agencies. PHMSA is committed to improving hazardous materials transportation safety, and provides technical assistance, training and information for the development of Federal, state, and local hazardous materials transportation education programs.

PHMSA maintains dialog with the State and local hazardous materials transportation community to identify training and education needs and to explore methods to better meet these needs. Stakeholders include representatives from FMCSA, FRA, and USCG along with other public sector (Federal and state) preparedness, enforcement, and response personnel and representatives from major public and private sector associations. PHMSA enhanced outreach and training efforts to support State and local government organizations. Specifically, PHMSA is:

• Reaching out to the "Grass Roots" - taking hazardous materials transportation training out to the regions.
• Using state and local expertise to identify and recommend training to be offered.
• Developing training resources using various media.
• Establishing methods to share these training resources.
• Partnering with other agencies and organizations to provide or share information and training.
• Developing specific materials, workshops, and seminars to support the hazardous materials transportation emergency response and law enforcement communities.

PHMSA has named this new approach and partnership effort Hazardous Materials Transportation – State and Local Education (HMT-SALE).

HMT-SALE provides a mechanism to share information on hazardous materials transportation safety and security issues, identify training needs, and to capitalize PHMSA resources to meet State and local government education needs. To achieve this, PHMSA is working in cooperation with State and local government representatives to co-sponsor regional or Statewide workshops. Workshops are developed in collaboration with State and local government representatives to effectively meet local needs including regulatory, awareness, and first responder training on the DOT Emergency Response Guidebook. Workshops will be rotated among various States and regions.

Upcoming HMT-SALE Workshops

Seminars and Workshops