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Major incidents can strike at anytime without warning and
usually result from, but are not limited to, major mishaps, either
by human error or intentional means and pose a significant risk to
life and/or property. The following
information is based on personal experience and many years of monitoring emergency radio communications
before, during, and after such events. It is meant to give you an
insight into what may occur during a specific event so that you
can be ready to deal with the aftermath. The last section at the
bottom of this page contains a wealth of resources for you to
learn more about natural disasters and emergency
preparedness.
The information on this page is
divided into the following topics:
| Chemical
Emergencies/Spills |
Thousands of toxic
chemical spills, leaks, and fires occur every year in the US
causing serious injury, death, and damage to the
environment. In fire lingo, a chemical fire, spill, or
leak is referred to as a "Hazmat" incident, short for
hazardous materials. Hazardous materials can be in the form
of combustible liquids, poisons, radioactive materials, and
explosives.
Human error is the
most frequent cause of chemical accidents. Other causes include
leaking railroad tankers, tankers that have overturned as a result
of a derailment, chemical
transport trucks involved in accidents, improper disposal
of chemicals, and businesses that either store or use chemicals
during a manufacturing process.
During a chemical
spill or leak, chemicals may mix or, as in the case with
hydrochloric acid, simply being exposed to moisture in the air,
can cause a chemical reaction resulting in a toxic cloud formation
or chemical
plant explosion. Windy conditions can rapidly spread a
toxic cloud over an wide area increasing the risk of exposure and
casualties.
Potential impact can range from area
evacuations to mass casualties from a chemical spill caused by a leaking
railroad tanker, tankers that have overturned as a result of a
derailment, chemical
transport trucks involved in accidents, improper disposal
of chemicals, or other cause.
Exposure can occur
though breathing the chemical, swallowing contaminated food or
water, or just coming into contact with things that have touched
the chemical, even if you do not see or smell anything. Symptoms
of exposure include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Irritated eyes, skin, throat
- Headache or blurred vision
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Stomach cramps or diarrhea
If you think you or someone you
know may be suffering from chemical exposure, call 911 immediately
and follow the operators instructions carefully, your life could
depend on it!
Some facts about Natural Gas:
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Natural gas is
delivered to about 175 million American consumers through a
1.3 million-mile network of underground pipe.
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There are a
total of 288,000 producing natural gas wells.
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There are 125
natural gas pipeline companies.
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More than 1,200
gas distribution companies provide gas service to all 50
states.
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Natural gas provides about 24 percent of the U.S. energy consumption.
Source: What
Is Natural Gas by the American Gas Association.
A
natural gas emergency occurs when there is a gas main line
rupture. A gas main rupture is a break along a point in any one of
the thousands of high-pressure pipeline networks that run
underground (above ground in some places) and transport the flow
of natural gas into homes and businesses in every community. Gas
main ruptures are often caused by human error during construction
or excavation work and from pipeline failure itself. Construction
and excavation crews are required to contact utility companies or
an alert service like Dig
Alert several days in advance so that gas, power, and
fiber optic cables can be properly marked before any work can
begin. Natural
gas main ruptures pose a significant threat to life and property
due to the volatile nature of the gas itself. The potential risk
of an explosion from a gas main break is extreme and would be
devastating for anyone in the vicinity. In June of 1976, a
construction crew working on Venice Blvd. in Culver City,
California, hit a pipeline causing a deadly explosion. The
explosion killed nine people and an entire city block was burned
to the ground.
Detecting a Gas Leak
Natural gas can be
detected by a strong-smelling "rotten egg" odor. Since
natural gas is tasteless, colorless and odorless in it's natural
state, gas companies inject a special chemical called "Mercaptan"
that smells like rotten-eggs making it easier to detect.
Sources of Natural
Gas Leaks Inside The Home:
- Gas appliances, heating
systems, and water heaters
- Interior natural gas piping
systems
- Migration of natural gas
indoors from leaks in outdoor piping systems
If you smell
natural gas inside you home, leave your house immediately! DO NOT make calls
from your home! Phones are capable of producing a spark, which
could start a fire or explosion. Contact your local gas utility
company from a phone outside and away from your home.
Precautions to take
while waiting for help:
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Keep everyone away from the area of the odor.Do not smoke or light any matches.
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Do not flip light switches on and off.
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If leak is inside, open doors and windows.
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If leak is outside, close doors and windows.
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Don’t start any motors or vehicles in the area.
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Do not re-enter the house until the gas company finds the source of the leak and corrects it.Do not use any electrical equipment that might create a spark in the area of the odor.
Medical
Complications/Symptoms
Exposure to low levels of natural gas is not harmful to your
health. However, if a gas leak is severe, the amount of oxygen
available for breathing could be dramatically reduced, which can
lead to asphyxia (suffuercation). Symptoms of asphyxia include:
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Dizziness
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Fatigue
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Nausea
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Headache
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Irregular breathing
Exposure to
extremely high levels of natural gas can cause loss of
consciousness or even death. An individual exposed to natural gas
asphyxia needs to get fresh air immediately and medical attention
as soon as possible. If the person is unconscious and not
breathing, move him or her to a location where there is fresh air
and administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until help arrives.
In the event of a
gas main rupture, explosion, and/or fire, local police and
fire-rescue personal will be the first to respond to the scene.
Once on scene, they evaluate the situation and take any action
necessary. Police personnel will most likely evacuate the
immediate area to protect the public while fire-rescue personnel
contain any fires, treat any victims, or stand-by until gas
company personal respond to the scene and shuts off the gas line.
Temporary
Evacuations
In the event of
evacuations, you will be provided with the location of the temporary
shelter set up by authorities and the American Red Cross
for residents affected by the evacuation. Follow instructions
and routes given to you by emergency personal CAREFULLY!, your
life may could depend on it.
| Your Information Line
During A Major Incident |
In most instances, the first word
of possible danger you will receive will most likely be through
emergency personal going door-to-door or driving down your street
giving instructions over a loudspeaker, or through
"breaking-news" on television or radio. Again, this
is where your police scanner becomes your best source for
information. You will know what's going on before anyone else
because you will be getting your information straight from first responders
on the scene as they access and handle the situation. Some
of the information you will hear includes:
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Area affected by the chemical emergency or fire
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Type of chemicals involved
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Current status of chemical spill or fire
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Damage assessments
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Area affected by the natural gas emergency
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Current status of gas leak
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Cause of the gas main rupture/break
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Any resulting events such as power outages
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Injury and casualty reports
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Any necessary evacuations
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Evacuation routes
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Emergency shelter locations
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Road Closures
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and more!
You can learn more about police
scanners here.
Link Disclaimer: The links below
are provided as a service to you. Police-Scanner.info is not
affiliated with any of the externally linked sites and any content
found on those sites is the intellectual property of the site's
owners. For your convenience, links to external sites open in a
new window. Simply close the new window when done viewing link.
Chemical/Hazardous
Materials
Natural
Gas Safety
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RSPA
Office of Pipeline Safety -
Administers DOT’s national regulatory program to assure the
safe transportation of natural gas, petroleum, and other
hazardous materials by pipeline.
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American
Gas Association - The American Gas Association is a
trade organization that represents natural gas distribution
companies.
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Dig
Alert - Marking of underground facilities and proposed
excavations is the key to damage prevention in the field. Dig
Alert is a one call notification center that supports all of
Southern California. It purpose is to you avoid the costly
error of cutting a gas main, fiber optic cable, or damaging a
power line.
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RSPA
Office of Pipeline Safety - Administers DOT’s
national regulatory program to assure the safe transportation
of natural gas, petroleum, and other hazardous materials by
pipeline.
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Natural
Gas Emergency Response - Brunswick Fire Department
(Maine) response to a gas main rupture caused by a
construction crew.
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