Emergency Response Training Draws Record Breaking Crowd in Charlotte, NC

212 responders from 29 orgs gathered in Charlotte, NC for one of CI’s largest TRANSCAER® hazmat trainings, focused on chlorine safety.

CHARRLOTTE, NC, UNITED STATES, August 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- From August 25 to 27, 212 students from 29 emergency response organizations gathered in Charlotte for one of the largest TRANSCAER^® training events in CI’s recent history. Held at the Charlotte Police and Fire Training Academy, the event provided hands-on emergency response training focused on the safe handling and transportation of hazardous materials, particularly chlorine.

This event was made possible through a long-standing partnership between The Chlorine Institute (CI) and TRANSCAER^® (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response), a national outreach effort focused on assisting communities in preparing for and responding to hazardous material transportation incidents. CI is long-term sponsor of the TRANSCAER program, working together with railroads and CI members to deliver life-saving training and resources to emergency responders across North America.

Special thanks go to the Academy, for providing a state-of-the-art setting for this training, and to the leadership of Mike Croke, Chair of CI’s Emergency Preparedness Issue Team and a long-time employee of local company JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. as well as all the dedicated instructors listed below who made this event possible through their time, expertise, and commitment to safety.

A resident of the Charlotte area, Mike brings over 45 years of experience in the chlor-alkali industry and has been a tireless advocate for emergency responder training. Reflecting on the significance of bringing this event to his home region, he shared:

“JCI Jones Chemicals has worked closely with Charlotte HAZMAT for many years. The opportunity to work with other response teams in the surrounding area is invaluable. We want other responders to know and trust in us—as a company and as an industry—and bringing this training together for all the local communities is one worthwhile way to do so.”

The event featured a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on exercises, covering topics like basic awareness of chlorine and other mission chemicals, chlorine container leak mitigation techniques, and coordinated emergency response efforts.

Matt Honaker, the newly appointed Hazmat Coordinator for the Charlotte Fire Department, reflected on the significance of this training event and his vision for the future of hazmat preparedness in the region:

“Hazmat training is extremely important—not only to me personally, but to our entire team. Events like this one, with subject matter experts from across the country, help us stay sharp and ready. Looking ahead, we hope to keep bringing in high-quality training like this and eventually establish a full-time hazmat company within the department.”

This event was made possible by a team of dedicated instructors and subject matter experts who volunteered their time and expertise to support the next generation of emergency responders. Special thanks to:

• Travis Gladish – Allied Universal
• Chris Isaacs and Jacob Miller – Brenntag North America, Inc.
• Erica Fischer – CHEMTREC
• Mike Croke – JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc.
• Rob Wolniak – Indian Springs Manufacturing
• Dan Thompson – Midland Manufacturing
• Don Browning – SPSI
• Matt Bond, Drew English, Duane Carpenter, and Mike Efaw – Westlake Corporation
• CI staff, whose behind-the-scenes coordination helped ensure the event’s success

This event is a powerful example of the critical role that collaboration between industry, emergency services, and community organizations plays in hazardous materials preparedness. CI and TRANSCAER look forward to bringing this vital training to more communities across North America. For more information, visit our events page here: https://www.chlorineinstitute.org/meetings-overview/

Brooke Lobdell
The Chlorine Institute
+1 703-894-4122
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