Last week's Norkolk Southern train derailment near East Palestine, Ohio caused major disruption to the area, releasing toxic chemicals which have so far caused much pain and suffering to local residents. In response, Ohio's Governor Mike DeWine spoke with the White House to request federal help, and the Biden administration responded in kind.

They have deployed a team of medical personnel and toxicologists to assess and evaluate individuals who have been exposed or potentially exposed to the chemicals. The Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also offered to provide public health testing and assessments to the affected area. This comes on the heels of the $1000 relief checks for affected families, which were handed out on Thursday.

Emily Wright, a resident of nearby Columbiana, described the horror of the situation near East Palestine in a guest column on Dispatch.com. She had called upon Gov. DeWine to use his discretion