First responders consider and plan for every conceivable emergency in their communities, and Sunoco Pipeline is providing the specialized safety training they need to respond to pipeline incidents.

Sunoco Pipeline recently completed the Mariner Emergency Responder Outreach (MERO) program for the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. MERO has hosted specialized training sessions this year for more than 750 first responders in communities where Sunoco Pipeline’s Mariner East system will operate.

The program began in 2013, and has trained approximately 2,350 firefighters, police officers, emergency medical service providers, municipal emergency management officials, and other public safety personnel.

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This year, Sunoco Pipeline conducted 22 sessions related to the Mariner East 2 project that runs through Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. These sessions take place at fire stations or educational facilities in project areas. Conducting these sessions for Mariner East 2 is Gregory Noll, an emergency planning and response consultant with more than 45 years of experience in emergency planning and response.

“A big part of emergency response, especially in the pipeline industry, is having a pre-existing relationship with emergency responders at the local level,” Noll said.

The sessions feature a comprehensive overview of natural gas liquid (NGL) pipelines, characteristics of NGL products, pipeline security, and emergency response protocols. Attendees receive digital certificates to show they received the training.

“When you look at the bulk movement of hazardous materials, the safety record of the pipeline industry is excellent,” said Noll, author of Pipeline Emergencies, a nationally recognized textbook and pipeline curriculum for emergency responders.

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