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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.
Visit your LEPC.
How
will I know if something has happened?
Emergency warning procedures include:
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Outdoor warning sirens or horns.
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Emergency Alert System [EAS] - information provided via
radio and television.
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Reverse 9-1-1 -- an automated system for sending recorded
messages via telephone.
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Announcements over cable television.
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Residential route alerting - messages announced to
neighborhoods from vehicles equipped with public address systems.
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Alerts over weather radios placed throughout Monongalia
County.
What to do in a
hazardous materials incident?
If you witness a hazardous materials accident, call 9-1-1.
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:
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Strictly follow all instructions given by emergency
authorities.
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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.
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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.
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Close all fireplace dampers.
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Close as many internal doors as possible.
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If authorities warn of an outdoor explosion, close all
drapes, curtains and shades. Stay away from windows to prevent injury
from breaking glass.
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Turn off all ventilation systems, including furnaces, air
conditioners, vents and fans.
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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.
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If you suspect that gas or vapors have entered the
building, take shallow breaths through a cloth or towel.
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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 an 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:
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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.]
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Seek medical treatment for unusual symptoms that may be
related to the hazardous materials release.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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