Operation Respond
Background and Concept of Operations
After a disaster, time is critical
The Operation Respond™ Institute (ORI) is a not-for-profit, public/private partnership serving the emergency response community with lifesaving technology tools to combat safety and security incidents occurring on North American railroads and highways.
Operation Respond works closely with the Federal Government, transportation carriers and the emergency response community to develop real-world solutions for emergency responders. ORI provides software tools and training to the emergency response community, mostly dealing with hazardous materials and passenger railroad incidents.
ORI was born in 1995 in Houston, Texas and sprang from a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) initiative to provide hazardous materials information to emergency responders. Over the last eight years, Houston, TX and Buffalo, NY have been the software development sites.
ORI develops tools and training for emergency response professionals. These tools are primarily intended to assist "first responders," to help assure that they are not the first victims. These tools are designed to compliment a wealth of good information developed by the U.S. Government, chemical manufacturers and carriers.