EAST PALESTINE, Ohio - Norfolk Southern announced that is offering air monitoring to people living in the area that was evacuated following Friday’s derailment, fire, and chemical spill along Taggart Road.

You may request air monitoring at your home by calling the Re-Entry Air Monitoring Request Hotline at (330) 849-3919.

Railroad officials say they are working with contractors and local, state, and federal agencies to approve a voluntary air monitoring program that offers the option to have air quality monitoring in and around homes in the area that were evacuated.

Each team will consist of one or two air monitoring personnel from a contractor, a member of local law enforcement, an EPA representative, and as available, a state representative.

Air monitoring will be conducted for volatile organic compounds and hydrogen chloride in both outdoor and indoor air at eligible homes.

Volatile organic compounds include vinyl chloride, n-butyl acrylate, and benzene.

The following describes the steps that will be involved in participating in the residential re-entry air monitoring program.

You may call the Re-Entry Air Monitoring Request Hotline at (330) 849-3919 to request air monitoring at your home. You will provide your name, address, and phone number to the Hotline operator to be added to the Air Monitoring Request list, and you will receive a call back to schedule your appointment time.

To participate in the voluntary residential air monitoring program, you must have appropriate photo identification (ID) with proof that you reside in the home, which can include:

Any government-issued photo ID with an address that matches the address of the home

Any government-issued photo ID along with:

a) a utility bill matching the address and the name on the photo ID or

b) tax statements for the home in the name on the photo ID.

If you do not have any form of ID that ties back to the home, other methods will be employed to verify residence.

To participate in the voluntary residential air monitoring program, you must also sign an access agreement granting permission for the air monitoring team to enter your home.

You will meet your air monitoring team at your established appointment time and location. You can meet the air monitoring team at your home or at a central location to travel to your home together.

Once at your home, the air monitoring team will conduct air monitoring in the outdoor areas surrounding your home, including the backyard, if accessible. The police officer will complete a quick outdoor security inspection prior to opening the door to your home.

You will need to unlock your home so that the air monitoring team can enter your home to conduct air monitoring. During indoor air monitoring, you will remain outdoors until the air monitoring team collects data to support that your indoor air is safe.

Once inside, the air monitoring team will conduct air monitoring in all living spaces of your home, including on each floor and in the basement, if present. The indoor air monitoring assessment will generally take about 10-15 minutes.

All air monitoring readings will be documented electronically and on a physical data form that will be provided to you.

Once the indoor air monitoring assessment is complete, the air monitoring team will return outside, give you the physical data form, and discuss your air monitoring results. Depending on the air monitoring results, action steps including ventilation may be discussed with the resident.

You will be given the opportunity to ask the air monitoring team any questions about your results.

You will also be provided with the Operation Home Safely FAQ sheet. If you have further questions or concerns, you may call the CTEH Taggart Road Hotline at (234) 542-6474 to speak with a toxicologist.

In an abundance of caution, all residents, regardless of their choice to participate in this voluntary air monitoring program and regardless of their air monitoring results, will be encouraged to open windows and/or doors to promote ventilation of their homes.