Chapter 16 · Situations and settings · 8 min read
Chemical, biological, and pandemic emergencies
A chlorine leak from a train, an overturned truck with chemicals on the highway, a disease outbreak, or a "do not drink the water" notice: these are more likely emergencies than a nuclear one and, in several, the response is similar: get inside, close up, and wait for instructions. The difference is in the details. With chemicals, it matters to seal the room and know which way the gas is moving. With germs, distance, air filtering, and hygiene matter. This chapter gives you the steps for each case.
The essentials · if you only have a minute
- If you are ordered to shelter in place for a chemical leak: go inside, close and lock doors and windows, turn off air conditioning, heating, and fans, and go into an interior room you can seal.
- Seal windows, vents, and the door with plastic (2–4 mil) and heavy tape (duct tape). Allow at least 10 square feet (≈1 m²) of floor per person.
- Many toxic gases, such as chlorine, are heavier than air and collect low. If you are ordered to evacuate, evacuate: living on the ground floor is a disadvantage.
- If you are outside: move away upwind and toward high ground. If you were contaminated, take off your clothes (without pulling them over your head) and shower.
- An N95 mask filters particles (germs, dust), not chemical gases.
- Pandemic: keep 2 weeks of supplies, medications up to date, N95 masks, and a room to isolate a sick person.
- Boiling water kills germs but does not remove chemicals. Obey the type of notice: boil, do not drink, or do not use.
In this chapter
16.1Chemical leak or spill4 min read16.2Trains and trucks with hazardous materials1 min read16.3Biological attack or outbreak1 min read0/316.4Pandemic2 min read0/716.5Water contamination1 min read
Chapter sources (1)
- 1.What to Do to Shelter in Place for a Chemical Emergency — CDC — https://www.cdc.gov/chemical-emergencies/response/shelter-in- place.html 2.Chlorine: Chemical Fact Sheet — CDC — https://www.cdc.gov/chemical-emergencies/chemical-fact-sheets/chlorine.html 3.Shelter-in-Place in an Emergency — American Red Cross — https://www.redcross.org 4.Chemical Emergencies; Bioterrorism; Pandemic — Ready.gov (FEMA) — https://www.ready.gov/chemical ; https://www.ready.gov/ bioterrorism ; https://www.ready.gov/pandemic 5.Biological Threats (fact sheet basada en Ready.gov) — Ready Marine Corps — https://www.ready.marines.mil 6.Macdona Train Derailment — U.S. EPA Region 6 — https://response.epa.gov/macdonatrainderailment 7.Drinking Water Advisories: An Overview — CDC — https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/about/drinking-water-advisories-an- overview.html 8.NIOSH-Approved N95 Particulate Filtering Facepiece Respirators — CDC/NIOSH — https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/ 9.Emergency Alerts — City of San Antonio — https://www.sa.gov/Government/Emergency-Crisis-Response/Alerts 10.San Antonio Water System (SAWS) — avisos de servicio — https://www.saws.org
