A chemical emergency is any event which releases a hazardous chemical into the environment. This could happen in many different ways, some are a car or truck accident, a train accident, or a spill in a manufacturing plant. Some ways you may be notified are radio, television, Guernsey County Citizen Alert, or door to door notification. Below are some tips to help you be prepared if this kind of emergency were to happen.
- Listen to radio broadcasts for instructions.
- If instructed to shelter-in-place, take your family, pets, and disaster supplies kit and go indoors immediately.
- To avoid vapors that sink, go to an above ground room with the fewest windows.
- Close and seal all windows, doors, or exhaust vents.
- Turn off heating and air conditioning units, and fans.
- Close fireplace damper.
- Close shades and blinds and stay away from windows.
- Listen to local radio stations for further instructions.
Be sure that you are registered on the Guernsey County Citizen Alert System. This system enables public officials provide warnings to citizens regarding emergencies in their area. You decide how you wish to receive the warnings (text messaging, home phone, work phone, etc.) There are additional opt-in messages that you can receive such as National Weather System, non-emergency messages from agencies such as the Guernsey County Emergency Management Agency. You decide what information you would like to receive. This is a free service to the community. To get registered click here or call Guernsey County EMA at 740-432-9292.