The 2000 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2000) was developed jointly by Transport Canada (TC), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Secretariat of Transport and Communications of Mexico (SCT) for use by fire fighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving […]

Hazardous materials are chemical substances, which if released or misused, can pose a threat to the environment. These chemicals are used in industry, agriculture, medicine, research, and consumer goods. As many as 500,000 products pose physical or health hazards and can be defined as “hazardous chemicals.” Each year, over 1,000 new synthetic chemicals are introduced. […]

Biological weapons are any infectious agent such as a bacteria or virus when used intentionally to inflict harm upon others. This definition is often expanded to include biologically-derived toxins and poisons.

Taking Shelter From The Storm: Building a Safe Room Inside Your House Every year, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme windstorms injure and kill people, and damage millions of dollars worth of property in the United States. Even so, more and more people build houses in tornado- and hurricane-prone areas each year, possibly putting themselves into […]

The purpose of this document is to provide information and guidelines to local officials for social distancing planning. Social distancing is defined to include measures that increase the distance between individuals. These interventions can be applied to individuals, large groups or an entire community or region. They are designed to reduce personal interactions and thereby […]

For the millions of Americans who have physical, medical, sensory or cognitive disabilities, emergencies such as fires, floods and acts of terrorism present a real challenge. The same challenge also applies to the elderly and other special needs populations. Protecting yourself and your family when disaster strikes requires planning ahead. This booklet will help you […]

Just as you do with your family’s emergency supply kit, think first about the basics for survival, particularly food and water. Consider two kits. In one, put everything you and your pets will need to stay where you are. The other should be a lightweight, smaller version you can take with you if you and […]

To those of us who live and work in the Greater Los Angeles area, earthquakes and other natural emergencies are a reality. In order to deal with this situation, emergency preparedness must become a way of life. In the event of a major earthquake or disaster, freeways and surface streets may be impassable and public […]

Tornadoes and hurricanes are some of the most destructive natural disaster causing phenomena. The state of Florida and other storm-prone areas have experienced a considerable impact from storm damage due to the hazardous effects of high winds and flooding from severe tropical storms and hurricanes. Table 1 and Table 2 list the categories and associated […]

This guide has been prepared for direct dissemination to the general public and is based on the most reliable hazard awareness and emergency education information available at the time of publication, including advances in scientific knowledge, more accurate technical language, and the latest physical research on what happens in disasters. This publication is, however, too […]