Community Response to Chemical Release Emergencies

Chemical releases are very rare, but they can happen.  So people who live or work near facilities that handle or manufacture chemicals, or who live near chemical transportation routes (rail or highway) should be prepared to take the necessary steps to assure their personal safety if a release occurs in their community.

• If you live near a plant, contact the plant emergency planning officer and ask about emergency alerts and procedures.
• Find out the emergency alert procedures of your city or town by contacting the local agency with responsibility for emergency management. Some municipalities with large concentrations of chemical or petroleum facilities may have “Local Emergency Planning Councils (LEPC’s)."  In others areas, emergency management may be the responsibility of the fire or police department, or may be a separate department.
• Learn how to prepare your home and family for emergencies by obtaining the information available at www.ready.gov.
• Be familiar with how to “Shelter-in-Place”.
• Consider joining or forming a “Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)”.

Typical Community Response to Chemical Release

It should first be understood that there is no such thing as a typical chemical release, so responses to each event need to be tailored to the circumstances.  In general, citizens in their homes or in public buildings should await instructions from the emergency incident commander before evacuating. It is important to await instructions to be sure to evacuate safely, for example to avoid evacuating directly into the path of the release.  While awaiting instructions begin taking steps to “Shelter-in-Place,” as sheltering is one of the most common responses.

Citizens in public open areas should move to the nearest building.  If it is obvious which way the release is traveling, move at a right angle away from the direction of the cloud.

For more information, please see “Guideline for Technical Planning for Onsite Emergencies”.