DISASTER! - Homeland Security and Emergency Management ...

Don’t panic -- Listen - Stay calm and listen to radio, TV and officials to ...• Determine if your area is or was in danger.• Learn signs and symptoms of some agents (see previouspages briefly describing BZ, chlorine, cyanide, sarin,sulfur mustard / mustard gas, and VX).• Find out if and where antidotes are being distributed.IF INDOORS – Stay inside and prepare to “shelter-in-place”...• Close your windows, vents and fireplace damper and turnoff A/C and fans to reduce air drawn in from outside.• Seal gaps under doorways and windows with wet towels,plastic (if available) and duct tape.• If you picked a safe room in advance, grab your DisasterSupplies Kit and seal off that room - remember, you canonly stay there for so many hours or you’ll run out of air.• Some vapors and gases may sink so avoid basements.IF OUTDOORS - Stay upwind from the disaster area since many agentscan be carried by wind. Try to find a shelter as quickly as possible.IF IN A VEHICLE - Close your windows and shut off vents to reduce riskand drive away and upwind from the attack site, if possible.Cover up - Cover mouth and nose to filter air but still let you breathe (likea T-shirt or towel or several layers of paper towel, napkins or tissues).Feel sick...? - Some agents can cause immediate symptoms and some takea while to show up so watch family members for signs of illness.Evacuate...? - If you are told to evacuate… DO it! If officials say you havetime, close windows, shut vents and turn off attic fans. (see EVACUATION)Things to avoid:• chemicals - any spilled liquid materials, vapors or gas• contaminated food or water - don’t eat or drink anyfood or water that may have been exposed to materialsStay away - Get away from the attack site to avoid contamination.AFTER A CHEMICAL ATTACK:Feel sick...? - In some cases, people won’t be aware they have been exposedto an agent -- most cause immediate symptoms and some take a while towww.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-432597