Introducing Scott Croome, RAC’s new Director of Dangerous Goods
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Scott Croome, RAC’s new Director of Dangerous Goods, understands the value of training.
He’s been a firefighter for almost 20 years, a scuba instructor for 10, and is a former Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. He was also a Dangerous Goods Officer at Canadian Pacific (CP) for 11 years before joining us at RAC. These experiences taught him that, in any extreme situation, preparation is key to ensuring a safe outing.
“Our job is to do unsafe things safely,” he explains. “You need to train like your life depends on it — because it does.”
And he is bringing this safety-first philosophy to his new role at RAC.
Scott fell into the rail industry almost by accident. He studied policing and firefighting in school, and his first job after graduation dealt mostly with dangerous goods in the trucking industry. But one day, in response to a call for volunteers, he wound up supporting an emergency team at a train derailment in Parry Sound, Ontario.
The experience was a good fit for him and his skills. He continued working in rail and responding to hazmat events, which only bolstered his qualifications in rail safety. This led to a role at CP and eventually, after some self-reflection during the pandemic, he chose to take on this new challenge at RAC.
Scott’s career progression is a testament to his constant self improvement and commitment to learning. Even in his hobbies, he makes a point to master every aspect of a skill. As a scuba diver, for example, he completed specialties, including night diving and solo diving. By the time he learned rescue diving, there was little left for him to explore — so he became an instructor.
His work as a scuba instructor slowed during the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean he’s not busy. He continues to work as a firefighter in Paris, Ontario. He’s also on the Board of the Directors for the Paris Dover Pipe Band and even plays a bit himself — a hobby he shares with one of his two daughters.
Rail continues to be the safest way to transport people and goods, which makes it an integral part of Canada’s supply chains and economy.
Canada’s railroaders move the goods people use in their daily lives, including fuel, chemicals, and other vital supplies, safely through communities from coast to coast to coast. They do so with highly specialized, disciplined, and committed individuals like Scott at their backs, helping to extend safety culture and ensure best practices are shared widely. That’s something for which we can all be thankful.
Welcome aboard, Scott!