DARLINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — The Pennsylvania Department of Health is checking Pennsylvanians who live and work near the site of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment to see how they’ve been doing physically over the past 14 months.
Lori O’Connell, her husband and daughter live in Darlington Township, Beaver County. She said their health began to decline after February 3, 2023, when the Norfolk Southern train derailed 3.4 miles from their home.
“We have burning eyes, burning lips, a metallic taste in our mouths. Our daughter is on medication for nausea and vomiting. My husband also had a double mastectomy last year for a rare form of breast cancer. We had headaches, muscle pain,” O’Connell said.
Throughout April, the Pennsylvania Department of Health is asking first responders and residents who may have been exposed to the hazards of the derailment to complete post-assessment chemical exposure surveys. In this way, people near the affected area can share their health symptoms, medical care and treatment, along with their concerns and needs.
The surveys were first conducted several weeks after the horrific accident, when the Shapiro administration opened Pennsylvania’s first health resource center for people affected by the derailment.
The O’Connells didn’t fill out the health survey then, but the family plans to now because they know a lot more after the derailment and want to put their symptoms on paper.
“You don’t want to overreact. But after this happens repeatedly and we’ve lived here for 25 years and never had these problems, now we have them. There’s something to be said for that,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell is concerned that not enough people know about the follow-up study because the details are all over social media and online. She said many neighbors don’t even have internet. People can complete the survey online or at the Darlington Town Hall whether it’s their first or second time.
“We need to get the data out there so they know we’ve been affected, and it’s not just open to the city of Darlington. It’s open to anyone in Pennsylvania,” O’Connell said.
Mike Carreon, chairman of the Darlington Township Board of Supervisors, also hopes many people will share their experiences. But he said not many have come to town hall to document their health problems, so town supervisors are discussing possibly sending out letters to reach more people.
“It’s important, even if your symptoms are minor or you’re somehow suppressing them, if we don’t get the information, it’s not going to help the municipality as a whole.” So if you have symptoms that you think are related, it’s best to document them,” Carreon said.
He said information is key right now for their community.
“It’s the only thing that’s going to tell what the future looks like. … If there’s a lot of symptoms associated with certain areas, certain people, it’s the only way to put it all together,” Carreon said.
Pennsylvania residents can take the survey for community members online or for first responders.
People can also participate in the survey in person by visiting the Darlington Township Municipal Building on April 18 or 25 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. or on April 10, 19 or 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Someone will be available to help people on these days.
You do not have to live in the town of Darlington. This is for every Pennsylvania resident who was affected by the train derailment.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health would like people who participated in the first study to participate in the second study.
