I HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS Before an Incident • Be prepared to evacuate. An evacuation could last for a few hours or several days. • Be prepared to shelter-in-place. • Keep your 72-HOUR KIT updated. During an Incident • Stay away from the incident to minimize the risk of contamination. • Remain uphill and upwind from the source of the hazardous materials. • If asked to evacuate your home, do so immediately. • Shelter-in-place if requested to stay indoors. • Schools may institute shelter-in-place procedures if there is a hazardous materials incident. If so, you will probably not be able to drive to the school to pick up your children. Follow the directions of your local emergency officials. • Avoid contact with spilled liquids, air-borne mists or condensed solid chemical deposits. After an Incident • Do not return home until you are told it is safe. • When you get home, open windows, vents and turn on fans to ventilate your house. • Find out from local authorities how to clean up your land and property. • Report any lingering vapors or hazards. Billions of pounds of hazardous materials are transported across Utah's roadways each year, with more than 400,000 trucks carrying these materials. Some of the most common commodities include flammable liquids (gasoline and other fuels), followed by compressed gases (propane, etc.). Very small percentages carry radioactive materials. The Division of Emergency Services and Homeland Security help coordinate seven hazmat regional response teams throughout the state. This regional approach provides local communities with a more rapid response to hazmat incidents. 38- Before a Household Chemical Emergency • Buy only as much of a chemical as you think you will use. • Keep products containing hazardous materials in their original containers and never remove the labels unless the container is corroding. • Never store hazardous products in food containers. • Never mix household hazardous chemicals or waste with other products. Take the following precautions to prevent and respond to accidents: • Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the proper use of the household chemical. • Never smoke while using household chemicals. • Never use hair spray, cleaning solutions, paint products, or pesticides near an open flame. • Clean up any chemical spill immediately. Use rags to clean up the spill. Wear gloves and eye protection. Allow the fumes in the rags to evaporate outdoors, then dispose of the rags by wrapping them in a newspaper and placing them in a sealed plastic bag in your trash can. • Dispose of hazardous materials correctly. Take household hazardous waste to a local collection program. During a household chemical emergency, be prepared to seek medical assistance: • Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and follow directions. If there is a danger of fire or explosion: • Get out of the residence immediately. Do not waste time collecting items or calling the fire department when you are in danger. Call the fire department from outside (a cellular phone or a neighbor's phone) once you are safely away from danger. • Stay upwind and away from the residence to avoid breathing toxic fumes. If someone has been exposed to a household chemical: • Find any containers of the substance that are readily available in order to provide requested information. Call emergency medical services. • Follow the emergency operator or dispatcher's first aid instructions carefully. The first aid advice found on containers may be out of date or inappropriate. Do not give anything by mouth unless advised to do so by a medical professional or poison control. -39