Emergency Services
Tips for Hazardous Materials
Emergency Preparedness Tips for Hazardous Materials
Exposure to hazardous materials
- If you have been exposed to or have been affected by a hazardous material release, call 9-1-1 immediately.
- 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.
- If you are in a motor vehicle, stop and find shelter in a permanent building if possible.
- If asked to evacuate your home, do so immediately.
- Listen to a local radio or television stations, or access social media for emergency alerts from authorities. Follow instructions carefully.
Know how to shelter-in-place
Sheltering is appropriate when conditions require that you seek protection in your home, place of employment or other location when there is a threat to personal safety (i.e. hazardous spills, dangerous predators).
Local authorities will advise you to stay in your home or shelter-in-place until the emergency is over.
In all other cases:
Listen to the radio for updates and do not go outside until authorities say it is safe to do so
The length of time you are required to shelter may be short, such as during a tornado warning, or long, such as during a winter storm. It is important that you stay in shelter until local authorities say it is safe to leave.
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