Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Tressel Announce Progress on East Palestine First Responder Training Center
New facility plans and rail car donation mark next steps in development of regional training center
 Pictured L-R: East Palestine Village Manager Antonio Guy‑Diaz, Norfolk Southern Vice President & Chief Safety Officer John Fleps, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, YSU Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs Jennifer Adams, YSU President Bill Johnson, First Lady Fran DeWine, Governor Mike DeWine, U.S. Senator Jon Husted.
(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel today joined U.S. Senator Jon Husted, along with leaders from Youngstown State University (YSU), the Village of East Palestine, and Norfolk Southern, to announce the next phase of plans for a new regional first responder training center in East Palestine.
First proposed by Governor DeWine following the February 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment, the training center – known as the YSU RAPID center – will provide specialized, hands-on training for firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, and other first responders.
Through a partnership with YSU, the project has expanded to include higher education and workforce development opportunities in fire science, public safety, and emergency response.
Today’s announcement marked another step forward in the development of the center, including the unveiling of new conceptual renderings and layouts for the proposed campus. Norfolk Southern also announced the donation of four rail cars for use at the facility, creating opportunities for first responders to train for rail-related emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, and other scenarios involving the nation’s rail infrastructure.
“Thanks to the strong partnerships at the state, local, and federal levels, the vision for this comprehensive first responder training center in East Palestine has grown significantly since we first announced this idea in 2023,” said Governor DeWine. “With added support from Youngstown State University, this center will not only support first responders, but it will also help develop Ohio’s next generation of public safety leaders. Once built, it will draw people from all over the country to East Palestine, strengthening the local economy and encouraging continued revitalization of this resilient community.”
 Governor DeWine discusses the latest updates regarding the YSU RAPID center during Thursday’s event at the East Palestine Fire Department.
“Preparation is everything, especially for the men and women we count on to keep our communities safe,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “This center will strengthen Ohio’s public safety workforce by preparing our current and future first responders to serve and protect our communities. Through the leadership of Youngstown State University and other local partners, we’re creating something that will make a positive difference for East Palestine and the entire region.”
“This new training center will give career and volunteer first responders access to high-quality, specialized training to help them better serve their communities. It’s great to see Youngstown State University, the State of Ohio, the Village of East Palestine, and Norfolk Southern working together to strengthen emergency preparedness and expand workforce opportunities for Ohio’s first responders,” said Senator Husted. “The next step is passing my Railway Safety Act, which would expand access to Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness grants so first responders can purchase the personal protective equipment they need to stay safe on the job.”
“This training center is the result of extensive collaboration and a shared commitment to East Palestine and the first responders who protect communities across the region,” said John Fleps, Norfolk Southern Chief Safety Officer. “We’re proud to provide a $20 million grant and donate four rail cars to turn this vision into a sustainable resource where first responders and fire science students can build critical skills through realistic, hands-on training. Together, we are strengthening emergency preparedness today and helping prepare the next generation of first responders.”
YSU will play a central role in connecting specialized first responder training with higher education and workforce development. The center will operate through YSU’s academic structure and support educational opportunities related to fire science, public safety, and emergency response.
“This is what strong leadership and strong partnerships look like, turning a commitment to East Palestine into a lasting resource for this community, our region, and the great State of Ohio,” said YSU President Bill Johnson. “We at YSU are proud to lead the way, bringing together education, workforce development, and hands-on training to build a first responder center of excellence that will not only serve communities across our region, but also set a new standard for Ohio. This center will help prepare the first responders of today, educate the professionals of tomorrow, and strengthen the safety and resilience of communities throughout our region and state.”
The facility will serve both current first responders and students preparing for careers in public safety and emergency response and will provide hands-on learning opportunities while creating pathways into in-demand public safety and emergency response careers. Training will support both career and volunteer first responders, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical personnel.
Planned training scenarios will include house, vehicle, and industrial fires, search and rescue, confined-space rescues, agricultural rescues, hazardous materials incidents, and railroad emergencies. The inclusion of Norfolk Southern rail cars will allow participants to train in realistic environments specific to rail safety and emergency response.
 Governor and First Lady DeWine view the latest conceptual renderings of the YSU RAPID center campus, along with East Palestine Village Manager Antonio Guy‑Diaz.
“The vision for this center goes well beyond a building. It is about creating a place where education, hands-on training, and workforce development come together to prepare people for the realities of emergency response,” said Jennifer Adams, YSU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “By bringing together academic programming with specialized training environments, industry expertise, and the experience of working first responders, we can create meaningful learning opportunities for students while helping communities strengthen the skills of the people who protect them.”
The training center represents a long-term investment in East Palestine and the safety and resilience of the surrounding region. East Palestine emergency response agencies will have free, priority access to the facility, ensuring the community that helped inspire the project will have a direct and ongoing benefit from it.
“Not only will our local police, fire, and EMS personnel benefit from having a world-class training facility in their own backyard, but so too will the community at large. By bringing together academic knowledge, technical innovation, and hands-on training, this multidisciplinary campus will strengthen emergency preparedness while creating opportunities for the next generation of first responders, researchers, and innovators,” said Antonio Guy-Diaz, East Palestine Village Manager. “Our long-term ambition is to build an ecosystem around this campus where those who train for emergencies work alongside those who design, develop, and manufacture the tools needed to respond to them. For East Palestine, this represents an opportunity to change our narrative and make East Palestine a center for public safety and innovation while laying the foundation for new jobs, private investment, and long-term economic growth.”
The center also will serve first responder agencies throughout the region, expanding access to specialized training that may otherwise be difficult to obtain.
Current first responders will have opportunities to strengthen their skills through realistic, specialized training, while the next generation of professionals will gain hands-on experience that can prepare them for careers in fire science, emergency services, and public safety.
The partnership also includes a long-term endowment plan to support the center’s continued operation and growth, helping ensure the facility remains a valuable resource for East Palestine, the Mahoning Valley, and communities throughout Ohio.
Additional Media Contact:
Youngstown State University
Becky Rose, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications
330-941-2159
rarose01@ysu.edu
-30-
|
