Ammonia leak now forcing evacuations of hundreds

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Hundreds of people are being evacuated now at 11 am EST today Nov. 19 in east Hillsborough County (Tampa, Florida area) because of an ammonia leak. Persons are being evacuated while suffering some intense symptoms, including vomiting.

Good reminder to already have your gas masks, and hold on to them well beyond Y2K. Also, a bugout bag in your trunk, and keep your Shelter in Place (SIP) instructions indefinitely (Ashton & Leska offered them in an earlier post) Review your SIP setup at least twice a year, like when you change the batteries on your smoke detector

Y2K or not, you never know when something like this will happen. 85 million people live within 5 miles of 66,000 chemical plants in the U.S.

-- (normally@ease.notnow), November 19, 1999

Answers

Normally,

Is there a substitute method for ammonia protection if you have no gas mask?

Thank you,

-- eve (123@4567.com), November 19, 1999.


Sorry, I am a reporter, not a technical or chemical person. Almost all I have learned about this stuff is from well-educated people on this forum or in Y2K research since March. I will leave your ammonia question to more qualified folks. Dont want to steer you wrong...

Update on the ammonia leak/evacuation ... the hundreds evacuated were from inside the plant, tv says. it is a developing story, so hard to get a complete take on what is going on yet. Leak appears to be under control now.

But it has reminded me to dig up my gas mask again. You never know when something will happen.

-- (normally@ease.notnow), November 19, 1999.


normally - I don't see the post you were referring to about Shelter in Place. Can you give a link, or the thread title? Thanks.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), November 19, 1999.

Chemical plants. In rural Ohio a few years ago a frozen pizza making plant had an Ammonia leak that caused a large evacuation. Ammonia refrigeration is frequently used in food manufacture and storage. Most cities I would guess have lots of ammonia stored all over the place. Nasty stuff if you get a large release it will create a noxious and potentially toxic cloud that will be carried by the wind. If you are close a wet rag won't do much. Having been around a small pinhole leak I assure you it will take your breathe away.

-- squid (Itsdark@down.here), November 19, 1999.

Had a small ammonia leak in a grocery warehouse where I worked several summers in college. It doesn't take much in the air to clear a four acre building. Had the rest of the evening off while they fixed the leak and vented the warehouse. Burning eyes all around...

-- working? yeah, right (im@work.now), November 19, 1999.


Very few gas mask filters, including U.S. 40mm C-2 rated NBC filters, will filter out ammonia, FYI. There are some available, particularly in the agricultural field, that do. Limited capacity at best though. Best advice is "don't be there".

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), November 19, 1999.

zognote: I AM NOT A CHEMIST: I'm asking if this is possible from any professional chemists on the board. In an emergency situation involving ammonia, could you use say a towel soaked in vinegar to breathe through in an extreme emergency? wouldn't the vinegar react with the ammonia and create a salt and water, helping to neutralize the ammonia? I really don't know, but as an emergency exercise I gave it ten seconds thought, and that's what i came up with. and obviously, immediately head at right angles from the leak, turning to get upwind. but would this technique I outlined be of some protection? thankyou for any cogent replies, it's a good question. zog the wondering

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 19, 1999.

Here is a fantastic site that y'all should check out:

http://www.chemsafety.gov/y2k/

Would some talented person please hotlink it?

Te precor dulcissime supplex?

{If you insist, I'll throw some sugar on top too}

-- flora (***@__._), November 19, 1999.


Here's a basic FEMA fact sheet:

http://www.fema.gov/library/hazmatf.htm

They have a good search engine, and lots of resources available. Today seems to be troll-o-rama day here on the forum. Since many people have the potential to be impacted by one of these events, it might be a good time to do a little research and prep work, No?

Got rubber gloves in anticipation of a 3-day storm?

-- flora (***@__._), November 19, 1999.


http://www.chemsafety.gov/y2k/

http://www.fema.gov/lib rary/hazmatf.htm

(casually buffing my fingernails...)

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), November 19, 1999.



Tom,

It's another jewel in your crown {thanks!}.

-- flora (***@__._), November 19, 1999.


Zog:

The vinegar thing seems to be a great angle. Let me know if you get verification, ok?

Flora and Tom:

Thanks so much for the links to those websites. My first glance at them -- especially the first -- left me very impressed.

-- eve (123@4567.com), November 19, 1999.


Don, Working, Squid,

Thanks for your input. Every little bit helps.

-- eve (123@4567.com), November 19, 1999.


Tom, you are a hoot!

-- Mumsie (shezdremn@aol.com), November 20, 1999.

A&L's Shelter in Place:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000vWc

-- flora (***@__._), November 20, 1999.



Hi flora, we'll paste it on here :-)

Shelter In Place: Make Your Kits

Shelter In Place

aka SIP

[ Courtesy of ECHO Caer Group, Emergency Communications for Hazardous Operations, taught through the Portland, Oregon Fire Dept Training Center ]

[ For Educational Purposes ]

"There may be a time when an emergency takes place in your community due to an airborne toxic chemical release. The outside air quality may be affected to the point that it is not safe to be outside or evacuate. In a case like this it is usually safer to shelter-in-place until wind disperses and moves the toxic chemical away.

NOTIFICATION

Many, but not all, facilities (chemical/industrial plants) and emergency vehicles have alarm, siren, horn, or similar notification devices or systems. A three to five minute continuous signal means:

"Turn on TV or radio. Listen for essential emergency information."

These various signal devices may use different tones. The key is that they will be continuously activated for three to five minutes. If you hear this signal go inside immediately and turn on your radio or TV.

For Airborne toxic chemical releases the safest immediate action is to shelter-inplace while listening for further instructions.


SHELTER-IN-PLACE

1. Move inside immediately and turn on radio or TV for emergency information.
Proceed right away to:

2. Close all windows and doors.

3. Turn off ventilation systems. Remember heating, cooling, air pumps, bathroom fans, kitchen fans, oven/stove ventilation fans, dryer exhaust, chemney/fireplace vents, etc.

4. In buildings, go into and seal a room if possible.

5. Continue to listen to radio or TV for further instructions.


INSTRUCTIONS

Go inside the nearest structure such as a home, school, store, public building. Bring pets inside if practical. If indoors already, stay there. Turn on radio or TV for emergency information. If you are in a vehicle, close all windows, manual vents and ventilation systems.

In a structure:
Shut all windows, doors, chimney or fire place vents. This includes everything that can quickly and easily be closed to prevent the chemical from entering.

Turn off forced air heating or cooling systems. Turn of stove and bathroom exhaust fans.

Go into a room, preferably with no, or few, windows or outside air vents. If possible seal doors, windows, vents, etc. with plastic and tape or wet rags.

Continue to listen to the radio or TV on a local emergency alert system station until the emergency is over or until you are given instruction to evacuate. (Use a battery powered radio if the power is off.)


SHELTER IN PLACE PRE-PLANNING

It is important that you have a plan for your home or business for sheltering-in-place. Some key steps in this plan are:

* Knowing what doors and windows are likely to be open and assigning some one to check and close and LOCK them. Locking seals better.

* Knowing where the manual vents are and how to close them.

* Knowing where forced air heating or cooling controls/power exhaust vents are and how to turn them off.

* Knowing what room you will go to and how to seal it. Have a kit pre-prepared for this consisting of things such as plastic sheeting, strong tape, duct tape, rags, towels, water, snacks, etc.
Pre-cut the plastic to completely seal all windows and doors and any vents in your designated shelter room. With easy-to-see large labels, clearly mark on the plastic which opening/window/door/vent it fits.

* Have a radio (preferably two). Have one electric and one battery operated radio in the room you've identified. Know the emergency alert system station(s) for your area and have the station numbers written on a piece of tape attached to the radio.


SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Most chemical release incidents are short-term in nature. But for any potential emergency situation, always keep an adequate supply of contained food and water sources, flashlights, first aid kit, batteries, a portable radio, essential medicines and other essentials. Practice safety drills to be prepared and know the emergency plans for your workplace and schools.

WHAT TO DO IN A CHEMICAL EMERGENCY (SHELTER-IN-PLACE)

When a release or spill is identified, some chemical plants dispatch trained emergency responders to quickly assess the situation and plan an approrpiate response. If offsite impacts are possible, local response agencies (Emergency Management Agency, Fire Department, etc) are contacted and consulted with. The local response agencies will then decide what actions, if any, are necessary to protect the surrounding community.

[ Note: these instructions were not written with Y2K in mind, when communications may be overwhelmed or out and emergency responders completely overwhelmed. ]

Sheltering inside a building is considered to be a proven method of protecting yourself and your family in the event of an accidental release.

IF ASKED TO SHELTER IN PLACE

* Close all doors to the outside and close and lock all windows (windows sometimes seal better when locked);

* Turn off ventilation systems;

* Monitor the local Emergency Alert System (EAS) radio station for updates and remain in shelter until authorities indicate it is safe to come out.

Select a room in the building where occupants can be the most comfortable and which is easy to seal off. This room should, if possible, provide access to water, toilet facilities, and adequate room for people to sit or lie down. The room should have a battery-powered radio, snack foods, and bottled water.

Many people opt for the master bedroom area with bathroom.

If the gas or vapor is soluble or even partially soluble in water -- hold a wet cloth or handkerchief over your nose and mouth if the gases start to bother you. For a higher degree of protection, go into the bathroom, close the door, and turn on the shower in a strong spray to "wash" the air. Seal any openings to the outside of the bathroom as best as you can. Don't worry about running out of air to breathe. That is highly unlikely in normal homes and buildings.

Be sure to make Shelter-In-Place kits, with pre-cut, marked heavy plastic and strong tape to seal your closed doors, windows, vents, exhaust systems -- anywhere anything from outside could get in. Keep your kit accessible in the designated room. Make sure all members of the family know what the kit is for, how to use it, and why. Drill and practice Sheltering-In-Place.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 20, 1999.


Ashton & Leska:

Thank you so much for the great post! This one's definitely a keeper!

-- eve (123@4567.com), November 21, 1999.


Normally, Linda, Flora:

Thanks for addressing the "Shelter-in-Place" issue. It hadn't caught my attention until Ashton & Leska posted it.

-- eve (123@4567.com), November 21, 1999.


You're welcome. Unfortunately this poses a very real risk for many people.

I have a couple of stray thoughts to add. When you need this stuff, it's too late to run around and find it all. Put it together now. In earthquake country, it's advised by the FD's to have a box in a convenienty located closet {ours is next to the bug out bag}. In it you should have work gloves, duct tape, flashlights, plastic and a staple gun. The last two are to seal off windows that could bust out in a shaker. We've got rolls of plastic like painters use - these could be a real boon in a toxic situation. {We also have eye protection & dust masks, at least you wouldn't have structural damage to contend with in a toxic gas event { always looking for the bright side}}. We also have tarps & rope, in case the structure is uninhabitable, & we need to get outside in a hurry.

In a fairly recent refinery gas event, I heard a well known radio scientist in SF telling folks to wet down towels and put them down along the threshold of the doors.

I have some elderly realtions, I think I'm going to put together a SIP kit for them as a holiday gift. These kinds of situations are too difficult for most people to imagine themselves in at this time, but one never knows - do one?.

-- flora (***@__._), November 21, 1999.


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