Resources for Pipeline Safety, Preparedness, and Response

April 9, 2024

Pipelines run through thousands of U.S. communities, carrying hazardous materials that could pose a threat to the public and responders should an incident occur. April is National Safe Digging Month, and now is a great time to enhance your department’s readiness for a pipeline incident. The NVFC and PHMSA have partnered to offer the following resources through the Fire Department Pipeline Response, Emergency Planning, and Preparedness (FD PREPP) initiative.

FD PREPP Toolkit
This free toolkit provides front-line first response organizations with information, tools, and resources that they can use in the planning, training, and response aspects of a pipeline incident.

Webinar: Pipeline Safety and Emergency Response – Join live on April 17 at 2pm ET or watch the recording later.
In this free webinar, you will learn how to identify if your community has pipelines – and what’s in them – and how to identify transmission versus distribution and gathering lines. The session will also discuss working with pipeline operators, understanding your response capabilities, and how to train effectively for a pipeline event.

Pipeline Response PREP: Achieving Organizational Readiness for Pipeline Emergencies
This course in the NVFC Virtual Classroom, available free for a limited time, takes a deep dive into pipeline awareness and readiness for first responders. Topics covered include emergency response to pipeline incidents, types of pipelines, risk management, the role of SOPs/SOGs, and resources for pipeline incidents.

Collaborative Programs: Pipeline Safety and Response
This course in the NVFC Virtual Classroom, available free for a limited time, discusses how your fire department can forge relationships with operators and other stakeholders to enhance its training, safety, and response to pipeline emergencies. Topics covered will help you understand your risks, identify collaborative drills and exercises, discover mutual aid opportunities, and build partnerships to better protect both your responders and community.

National Pipeline Mapping System
This searchable map from PHMSA allows you to view pipelines and related information in your county. The dataset contains locations of and information about gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants which are under the jurisdiction of PHMSA.