LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- Imagine a chemical spill or a release of anthrax on a subway train. It's almost unthinkable, but in today's climate of terrorism, it's something public safety personnel must be prepared for.
Montgomery County firefighters led about a dozen colleagues from various parts of the country in a drill Thursday. They went into a special Metro training tunnel and practiced at least two disturbing scenarios.
In the first, firefighters had to stop a cylinder that was leaking a toxic chemical, then rescue passengers off the train. In the second, firefighters were trying to determine if anthrax had been released on the train.
''Ten years ago we would have never needed this kind of training,'' said Battalion Chief Bob Stephan. Stephan, the hazardous materials team leader from Montgomery County, said his team is often used at the tunnel to help train others, but he's especially glad they're getting a lot of practice themselves.
The firefighters go through all the steps of the rescue, including wearing hazmat gear and being decontaminated after it's over.
''This is a real confidence builder,'' said Jason Pastuch, a hazmat specialist from Cherry Hill, N.J.
''Anytime you have hands-on you take a higher level back with you to your job,'' said Kelly Knepper, a firefighter from Chambersburg, Pa.
Lt. P.J. Donaghue, of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Department calls the training tunnel ''invaluable.''
''This is as close as we can get to reality,'' he added.
Metro opened the ''Safety Training Tunnel'' in May 2002. All police and fire personnel in the Washington region use it, as well as the Marine Corps, FBI and other federal agencies. Some 3,000 personnel have trained there.
''The tunnel is not only to aid the public but to aid the first responders to aid the public,'' said Victor Size, emergency management coordinator for Metro.
Size said people from all over the world have come to use the training tunnel, believed to be the only one of its kind in the United States.
The two trains used in the drills are real Metro cars that were involved in an accident in January 1996. Size said he hopes to also soon receive the rail cars that were involved in an accident at the Woodley Park station last November.
Metro doesn't charge to use the facility. Size said it costs about $500 for each training it puts on and it's available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The firefighters attending Thursday's training were attending the International Association of Fire Chiefs Conference taking place in Baltimore this weekend.
