Chemicals are found everywhere. They purify drinking water, increase crop production and simplify household chores. But chemicals also can be hazardous to humans or the environment if used or released improperly. Hazards can occur during production, storage, transportation, use or disposal. Cornwall is high risk for a hazardous materials incident due to the CSX rail line running through the Village and the New York State Thruway running through the Town. A release of chemicals would be hazardous to you, your friends, your family and the environment in the event of a hazardous materials incident.

Hazardous materials in various forms can cause death, serious injury, long lasting health effects, damage to buildings, homes and other property and the enviroment. Many products containing hazardous chemicals are used and stored in homes routinely. High dangers are also associated with railroads and the chemicals transported by CSX and the tractor trailers that carry chemicals and freight on the New York State Thruway.

Chemical manufacturers are one source of hazardous materials, but there are many others, including service stations, hospitals and hazardous materials waste sites.

Hazardous materials come in the form of explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons and radioactive materials. These substances are most often released as a result of transportation accidents.

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Before

The Cornwall Office of Emergency Management is responsible for collecting information about hazardous materials in the community and making this information available to the public upon request. We are also are tasked with developing an emergency plan to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies in the community. Ways the public will be notified and actions the public must take in the event of a release are part of the plan.

You may contact us to find out more about chemical hazards and what needs to be done to minimize the risk to individuals and the community from these materials.

The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your property from the effects of a hazardous materials incident:

Make a Family Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency. Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood.
It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one.
Knowing Cornwall’s warning systems and disaster plans, including evacuation routes.
Notify caregivers and babysitters about your plan.
Make plans for your pets.

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During

Listen to local radio or television stations for detailed information and instructions. Follow the instructions carefully. You should stay away from the area to minimize the risk of contamination. Remember that some toxic chemicals are odorless.

If you are asked to evacuate

Do so immediately. Stay tuned to a radio or television for information on evacuation routes, temporary shelters, and procedures. Follow the routes recommended by the authorities, shortcuts may not be safe. Leave at once. If you have time, minimize contamination in the house by closing all windows, shutting all vents, and turning off attic fans. Take pre-assembled disaster supplies. Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance: infants, elderly people and people with access and functional needs.

If you are outside

Stay upstream, uphill, and upwind! In general, try to go at least one half mile from the danger area. Move away from the accident scene and help keep others away. Do not walk into or touch any spilled liquids, airborne mists, or condensed solid chemical deposits. Try not to inhale gases, fumes and smoke. If possible, cover mouth with a cloth while leaving the area. Stay away from accident victims until the hazardous material has been identified.

If you are in a motor vehicle

Stop and seek shelter in a permanent building. If you must remain in your car, keep car windows and vents closed and shut off the air conditioner and heater.

If you are requested to stay indoors

Bring pets inside. Close and lock all exterior doors and windows. Close vents, fireplace dampers, and as many interior doors as possible. Turn off air conditioners and ventilation systems. In large buildings, set ventilation systems to 100 percent recirculation so that no outside air is drawn into the building. If this is not possible, ventilation systems should be turned off. Go into the pre selected shelter room. This room should be above ground and have the fewest openings to the outside. Seal gaps under doorways and windows with wet towels or plastic sheeting and duct tape. Seal gaps around window and air conditioning units, bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, and stove and dryer vents with duct tape and plastic sheeting, wax paper or aluminum wrap. Use material to fill cracks and holes in the room, such as those around pipes. If gas or vapors could have entered the building, take shallow breaths through a cloth or a towel. Avoid eating or drinking any food or water that may be contaminated.

Shelter suggestions for sealed rooms

Ten square feet of floor space per person will provide sufficient air to prevent carbon dioxide build up for up to five hours, assuming a normal breathing rate while resting. However, local officials are unlikely to recommend the public shelter in a sealed room for more than 2 to 3 hours because the effectiveness of such sheltering diminishes with time as the contaminated outside air gradually seeps into the shelter. At this point, evacuation from the area is the better protective action to take. Also you should ventilate the shelter when the emergency has passed to avoid breathing contaminated air still inside the shelter.

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After

The following are guidelines for the period following a hazardous materials incident:

Go to a designated public shelter if you have been told to evacuate or you feel it is unsafe to remain in your home. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12518).
Act quickly if you have come in to contact with or have been exposed to hazardous chemicals.
Follow decontamination instructions from local authorities. You may be advised to take a thorough shower or you may be advised to stay away from water and follow another procedure.
Seek medical treatment for unusual symptoms as soon as possible.
Place exposed clothing and shoes in tightly sealed containers. Do not allow them to contact other materials. Call local authorities to find out about proper disposal.
Advise everyone who comes in to contact with you that you may have been exposed to a toxic substance.
Listen to local radio or television stations for the latest emergency information.
Help a neighbor who may require special assistance: infants, elderly people and people with access and functional needs. People who care for them or who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations.
Return home only when authorities say it is safe. Open windows and vents and turn on fans to provide ventilation.
Find out from local authorities how to clean up your land and property.
Report any lingering vapors or other hazards to the Cornwall Office of Emergency Management.