Washoe County CERT urges Gerlach residents to report blocked rail crossings, offers training
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Summary
Washoe County CERT's rail auxiliary team briefed the Gerlach CAB on reporting blocked crossings, emergency contacts for Union Pacific, available hazmat training, and local volunteer training options; presenters urged residents to use the FRA and Union Pacific community portals to build federal records of problems.
Richard Gent, team leader for the Washoe County CERT rail auxiliary team, told the Gerlach Citizen Advisory Board that residents should use multiple reporting channels to document railroad problems and to sign up for brief community training.
"That is the railroad's 911, and that is strictly for emergencies," Gent said while describing Union Pacific's emergency contact number, and he urged residents to note the blue crossing sign identifier so Omaha-based responders can locate the crossing faster. He also emphasized that blocked crossings are largely governed at the federal level: "there's nothing really you can do about it" locally and encouraged filing reports to the Federal Railroad Administration so the problem is documented.
The presentation covered practical contacts (a Union Pacific community representative, Peggy Ibera in Sacramento), online reporting tools on up.com/communities, and the FRA portal for logging blocked crossings and idling equipment. Gent also described a free hazmat training Union Pacific has offered to local fire departments and offered CERT's own short training options for law enforcement and first responders.
Gerlach board members and residents raised operational concerns: Royal Ambulance said it has temporarily left a more capable ambulance in Gerlach to ensure long-trip reliability and is working with the county on a lease for a permanent type 3/box ambulance. Residents described incidents including a six-hour power outage tied to rail operations and environmental issues along right-of-way drainage; one resident proposed using drones to treat inaccessible vegetation that fosters biting midges.
Gent recommended volunteers sign up for one-hour monthly trainings, and he suggested exploring nontraditional funding avenues such as the Union Pacific Foundation to address localized solutions. He closed by providing his contact information and urging residents to "be the eyes and ears" for the community.