Workers continue to clean up remaining tank cars, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio, following the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern freight train derailment. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Officials in Fredonia and Dunkirk spoke this week about local preparedness for a toxic train derailment like the one that recently devastated East Palestine, Ohio.

“In our district…we have train lines and the Thruway that run through,” Fredonia Mayor Douglas Essek said at a Village Board meeting. “Both carry the same hazardous materials that happened to be derailed there in Ohio.”

He continued, “I know on a local and a county level, we’re very well-prepared HAZMAT-wise.”

In Dunkirk, Common Councilman James Stoyle said Tuesday that city officials are updating plans for hazardous events.

“I want the public to know that the public safety committee, which consists of the Dunkirk police department, fire department, DPW and other management of this city, are working on a plan to update the plan from 2000,” he said. “When that comes out, if anybody wants to know about it, we’ll make it public.”

Essek noted there was a derailment at the Temple Street crossing about 15 years ago that involved hazardous materials.

Ripley had a train derailment with hazardous materials in 2016. About 100 residents were temporarily evacuated after two derailed cars spewed ethanol.

Essek, a Republican, reflected some of the GOP’s skepticism about governmental response to the Ohio disaster.

“I know we’re prepared on a local level. I hope we’re prepared on a state and federal level — when our state says that gas stoves are hazardous to you, I don’t really think that’s an issue. I think we need to make sure that the same problems that happened in Ohio don’t happen in New York state.”

The mayor concluded about train derailments, “Know that that is a concern and has been brought up for our hazard mitigation plan from the county, from various municipalities in the area.”