Last week's extremely dangerous train derailment and chemical burn in East Palestine, Ohio has created a hazardous environment for residents in the area. Emily Wright, a resident of nearby Columbiana and the development director at River Valley Organizing, wrote an opinion column in The Columbus Dispatch on February 14th pleading with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to seek federal aid from the Biden administration to help those affected by the disaster.

In response to the call for help, Governor DeWine tweeted on Thursday morning that he had spoken to the White House and requested assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Health and Emergency Response Team, and the Centers for Disease Control in order to provide direct support to the East Palestine area. As of now, the hazardous area is still not safe or livable, so federal aid will be crucial in helping damaged property and allowing people to have a safe place to stay.

The train