Thread by @JenniferHomendy

THREAD on East Palestine derailment:

First, a message to the community…then a plea to those spreading misinformation.

To everyone affected: know that @NTSB is working vigorously to understand what caused this train derailment — so it never happens again.

You have my personal commitment that the NTSB will CONTINUE to share all information publicly as soon as possible following our analysis. Here's a link to our Feb. 14 update:
ntsb.gov/news/press-rel…

Next: NTSB investigators will thoroughly examine the tank cars once decontaminated. As always, we’ll issue urgent safety recommendations as needed.

Urgent safety recommendations may be issued at any time; meaning, we don't wait until the end of our investigation if immediate safety action is warranted.

Nothing…nothing is more important than accuracy at a moment like this, which is why the NTSB is deliberate in our approach to investigations. Credibility is ESSENTIAL to our lifesaving mission. The NTSB process WORKS. See how here: ntsb.gov/investigations…

That leads me to my last point: anyone speculating about what happened, didn’t happen, or should've happened is misleading a suffering community – PLEASE STOP SPREADING MISINFORMATION. For example…

Some are saying the ECP (electronically controlled pneumatic) brake rule, if implemented, would’ve prevented this derailment. FALSE – here’s why…

The ECP braking rule would’ve applied ONLY to HIGH HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAINS. The train that derailed in East Palestine was a MIXED FREIGHT TRAIN containing only 3 placarded Class 3 flammable liquids cars.

This means even if the rule had gone into effect, this train wouldn't have had ECP brakes.

For a reminder of the history on ECP, see this graphic from @USGAO. The Dec 2015 FAST Act directive (below) resulted in PHMSA withdrawing the ECP brake rule on September 24, 2018.

I urge you: let the NTSB lead the #safety analysis. Anything else is harmful — and adding pain to a community that’s been through enough.

But…if this derailment has moved you to want to become a safety investigator, we’d love to have you at the NTSB. usajobs.gov/Search?a=TB00

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