HAZMAT
From industrial chemicals and toxic waste to
household detergents and air fresheners, hazardous materials are part of
our everyday lives. Affecting urban, suburban and rural areas,
hazardous materials incidents can range from a chemical spill on a
highway to groundwater contamination by naturally occurring methane gas.
Hazardous materials are substances which, because of
their chemical, physical or biological nature, pose a potential risk to
life, health or property if they are released. Hazards can exist
during production, storage, transportation, use or disposal.
Chemical plants are one source of hazardous
materials, but there are many others. Your local service station
stores gasoline and diesel fuel -- hospitals store a range of
radioactive and flammable materials, and there are about 30,000
hazardous materials waste sites in the country.
Federal laws enable local governments and
interested citizens to become aware of possible hazardous material
incidents and prepare for them. The Monongalia County Local
Emergency Planning Committee was formed to provide an established,
coordinated response to protect the public from the harmful effects
of an accidental release of toxic or hazardous substance, materials
or wastes, at the site of any chemical manufacturer, user, storer,
or transporter or any transportation route which may affect people
or property within the jurisdictional boundaries of Monongalia
County. The LEPC membership consists of local planners --
emergency responders -- representatives from hospitals,
environmental protection, community groups, industry and
members of the community. For more information please
visit http://www.moncolepc.org.
How will I know if something is happening?
Emergency warning procedures include:
-
Outdoor warning sirens or horns.
-
Emergency Alert System [EAS] - information
provided via radio and television.
-
Reverse 9-1-1 -- an automated system for sending
recorded messages via telephone.
-
Announcements over cable television.
-
Residential route alerting - messages announced
to neighborhoods from vehicles equipped with public address systems.
-
Alerts over weather radios placed throughout
Monongalia County.
What to do during a HAZMAT incident
If you hear a warning signal,
listen to local radio or television stations for further information.
Follow instructions carefully.
Stay away from the incident site
to minimize the risk of contamination.
If you are caught outside during
an incident, try to stay upstream, uphill and upwind -- hazardous
materials can quickly be transported by water and wind. In
general, try to go at least one-half mile [10 city blocks] from the
danger area; for many incidents you will need to go much further.
If you are in a car, close windows
and shut off ventilation. This will reduce the risk of
contamination.
If you are asked to evacuate, do
so immediately.
If you are requested to stay
indoors rather than evacuate:
-
Strictly follow all instructions given by
emergency authorities.
-
To reduce the possibility of toxic vapors
entering your home, seal all entry routes as efficiently as
possible. Close and lock the windows and doors. Seal
gaps under doorways and windows with wet towels and duct tape or
similar thick tape.
-
Seal any gaps around window air conditioning
units, bathroom and kitchen exhaust fan grilles and stove and dryer
vents with tape and plastic sheeting, wax paper or aluminum wrap.
-
Close all fireplace dampers.
-
Close as many internal doors as possible.
-
If authorities warn of an outdoor explosion,
close all drapes, curtains and shades. Stay away from windows
to prevent injury from breaking glass.
-
Turn off all ventilation systems, including
furnaces, air conditioners, vents and fans.
-
Building superintendents should set all
ventilation systems to 100 percent recirculation so that no outside
air is drawn into the building. if this is not possible,
ventilation systems should be turned off.
-
If you suspect that gas or vapors have entered
the building, take shallow breaths through a cloth or towel.
-
Remain in protected, interior areas of the
building where toxic vapors are reduced, and keep your radio with
you.
Avoid contact with any spilled
liquid materials, airborne mist or condensed solid chemical deposit.
Keep your body fully covered and wear gloves, socks and shoes, although
these measures may offer minimal protection.
Do not eat or drink any food or
water that may have been contaminated.
If you need to stay indoors, fill
the bathtub [sterilize it first] and large containers with water.
Be prepared to turn off the main water intake valve in case authorities
advise you to do so.
What to do after a HAZMAT incident
Do not return home until
local authorities say it is safe.
Upon returning home, open windows,
vents and turn on fans to provide ventilation.
A person or item that has been
exposed to a hazardous chemical may be contaminated and could
contaminate other people or items. If you have come in contact
with or have been exposed to hazardous chemicals, you should:
-
Follow decontamination instructions from local
authorities. [Depending on the chemical, you may be advised to
take a thorough shower, or you may be advised to stay away from
water and follow another procedure.]
-
Seek medical treatment for unusual symptoms that
may be related to the hazardous materials release.
-
If medical help is not immediately available and
you think you might be contaminated, remove all of your clothing and
shower thoroughly [unless local authorities say the chemical is
water reactive and advise you to do otherwise]. Change into
fresh, loose, warm clothing and seek medical help as soon as
possible.
-
Place exposed clothing and shoes in tightly
sealed containers without allowing them to contact other materials,
and call local authorities to find out about proper disposal.
-
Advise everyone who comes in contact with you
that you may have been exposed to a toxic substance.
Find out from local authorities
how to clean up your land and property.
Report any lingering vapors or
other hazards to our offices by calling (304) 599-6382 [9-1-1
non-emergency number].
Remember that chemicals provide great benefits to our
society, but they are volatile and must be treated with respect and
caution. The covered facilities that operate within Monongalia
County have emergency plans in place and train their staff in emergency
response operations. Contact the
Local Emergency Planning Committee
for more information.