Emergency Medical Response

You Are the Emergency Medical Responder

You are the first emergency medical responder (EMR) to arrive at the scene of a freight train derailment. According to the train’s placards and signage, several of the cars are carrying liquefied chlorine gas, at least two cars are leaking

Lesson 44: Hazardous Materials Emergencies

and there is a yellowish cloud hanging low over the area. The winds are light, about 5 to 10 miles per hour (mph) and are coming from the northeast.

Emergency Medical Response

HAZMAT

Any chemical substance or material that can pose a threat or risk to life, health, safety and property if not properly handled or contained.

Emergency Medical Response

Resources About Hazardous Materials The Emergency Response Guidebook The Chemical Transportation

Emergency Center (CHEMTREC) hotline

CAMEO® online library of data Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health (NIOSH) resources

Placards

Emergency Medical Response

Emergency Medical Response

Indications of Hazardous Materials

Placards Spilled, splattered, smoking, burning or boiling

materials Unusual odors Vapor clouds Containers that are leaking (with possible frost near

the leak), in deteriorating condition or otherwise atypical

Emergency Medical Response

Three Safety Zones Hot zone

• Exclusion zone• Greatest amount of danger

Warm zone• Contamination reduction zone• Immediately outside hot zone

Cold zone• Support zone• Removal of all contaminated PPE and equipment

before entering

Emergency Medical Response

Contamination Exposure Routes

Topical (through the skin) Respiratory (inhaled) Gastrointestinal (ingested) Parenteral (intramuscular, intravenous or

subcutaneous)

Emergency Medical Response

Decontamination Methods

Gross Dilution Absorption Neutralization Isolation/disposal

Emergency Medical Response

Activity

You are assisting at a HAZMAT incident involving an explosion in a chemical plant. Several of the employees were exposed when the chemicals sprayed into the air and onto themselves and their clothing. Hot, warm and cold zones have been set up.

Emergency Medical Response

You Are the Emergency Medical Responder

Based on what you see, you recognize the scene as a HAZMAT incident.