Photo by Stephanie Elverd East Palestine resident Julie Adam talks to Columbiana County Health Commissioner Dr. Wes Vins during a Environmental Protection Agency open house held in the East Palestine gym on March 23. Preliminary results of the Assessment of Chemical Exposure surveys conducted by the EPA found that over half of participating residents experienced similar symptoms in the wake of the train derailment. ACE surveys show similar symptoms

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The preliminary results of the Assessment of Chemical Exposure surveys conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and released this week found that over half of participating residents experienced similar symptoms in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Feb. 3.

The results of 704 ACE surveys indicate that 76 percent of East Palestine residents participating in the health assessments experienced headaches, while 54 percent experienced coughing, 52 percent experienced fatigue and 50 percent experienced a rash or irritation of the skin. In addition, 62 percent reported anxiety after possible chemical exposure after the derailment caused a chemical spill of highly volatile butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride and led to a controlled chemical release and burn at the site to prevent what officials called “a possible major explosion” as the remaining cars of vinyl chloride were deemed unstable.

The results did not come as a surprise to East Palestine resident Jessica Conard. As the community advocate for East Palestine Justice Community (the team of environmental activists, lawyers and scientists headed by environmentalist Erin Brockovich), Conard has been on the ground documenting symptoms in the early days following the rail disaster. Though she isn’t shocked by the results of the surveys, she remains as frustrated as she is angry.

“They forgot to ask about nightmares, which is what this situation has been from the beginning,” she said. “Just shy of 75 percent of us have a constant headache. It’s miserable. We are in this position because Norfolk Southern puts profits over people, caused an environmental disaster, and poisoned us. I refuse to accept Norfolk Southern continuing to use people and nature as collateral damage to make a buck.”

In the 60-plus days since the catastrophic chain of events, concerns over the impacts on health have not diminished. On the contrary, they have continued to mount. Reports of sickened workers from the Centers for Disease Control only heightened the worries. This week, the CDC confirmed those reports, disclosing that members of its on-the-ground assessment team in East Palestine became ill with chemical exposure symptoms. These symptoms included headaches, sore throats, nausea and persistent coughing — the same symptoms residents reported in the ACE surveys. Ironically, the team, a part of CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, was in the village conducting door-to-door ACE surveys when they began experiencing adverse health reactions.

A total of 318 first responders also completed ACE surveys. They, too, reported stuffy nose/sinus congestion (28 percent), runny nose (26 percent), increased congestion (22 percent), burning nose or throat (21 percent) and hoarseness (15 percent).

Over 300 first responders worked the derailment scene in the days following the disasters, including the night of Feb. 3 when the derailment happened. Initially, the first responders had little to no idea what they were running into and lacked the necessary equipment to fight the chemical fire.

In March, Ohio Sens. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2023, which would require rail carriers to give advance notice to state emergency response officials before running trains carrying hazardous materials to better inform emergency personnel of the dangers they face. Gov. Mike DeWine is working to increase railroad-specific training for Ohio’s first responders to better prepare first responders when they do face such disasters.

Meanwhile, the Ohio Department of Health announced plans to offer blood and urine testing and physical exams to first responders who were on site in East Palestine as the beginning of long-term health monitoring for emergency personnel who responded to the derailment. The testing is expected to begin next week.

Earlier this week, the Ohio senators joined forces with their Pennsylvania counterparts, Bob Casey, D-PA, and John Fetterman, D-PA, and called on the National Institute of Health and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to better analyze the health implications that East Palestine and the surrounding communities face in the aftermath of the train derailment. In an open letter to the acting director of the NIH Lawrence Tabak and NIEHS Director Rick Woychik, the lawmakers asked both organizations to “help assess and mobilize existing assets and resources to respond to the community’s biomedical research needs” and “order to provide a robust review of the community concerns, exposures, and health implications.”

In response to community health concerns, DeWine announced that there will be a permanent health clinic in East Palestine in partnership with East City Hospital. The clinic, which will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, will conduct blood and urine testing and physical exams in addition to primary care.