EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — One day after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine requested federal assistance in handling the aftermath of the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, President Joe Biden's administration obliged.
On Friday, the Biden Administration announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are deploying a team of medical personnel and toxicologists to conduct public health testing and assessments. DeWine had specifically requested a team of medical experts from the CDC to help assist in such tasks.
"The team will support Federal, state, and local officials already on the ground to evaluate individuals who were exposed or potentially exposed to chemicals and help ensure timely communications to the public," the Biden Adminstration said.
In addition to the team from the HHS and CDC, some federal agencies have already been assisting on-site in East Palestine, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The administration also noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is "in constant contact with the emergency operations center in East Palestine, as well as the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and Federal partners" and that the railway operator, Norfolk Southern, has already committed to financially covering all of the costs associated with the cleanup.
The announcement from the Biden Administration comes two weeks to the day after the train carrying hazardous materials was first derailed, resulting in a temporary evacuation of the area. On Feb. 6, a controlled release of the materials inside the vehicle was performed, leading to concerns regarding the effects they could have on the water and the air in the area.
At a press conference on Friday, Gov. DeWine stated that testing shows that water in Ohio River is safe, although those with private water supplies are still encouraged to drink bottled water until they have their water tested. DeWine and state officials had previously stated that testing has shown that the air in the area is also safe.
UPDATE: On Friday evening, DeWine confirmed that FEMA will be sending a crew to assist with the aftermath of the train derailment in the village.
In a joint statement released Friday night, DeWine and FEMA Regional Administrator Thomas C. Sivak said the agency would deploy a Regional Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) to Columbiana County starting Saturday, along with a senior response official. The workers will "support ongoing operations, including incident coordination and ongoing assessments of potential long-term recovery needs."