PHMSA(U.S.DepartmentofTransportationPipelineandHazardousMaterialsSafetyAdministration)'s2016EmergencyResponseGuidebookprovidesfirstresponderswithago-toresourcetohelpdealwithhazmataccidentsduringthecriticalfirst30minutes.
TheERGcontainsanindexedlistofdangerousgoodsandtheassociatedIDnumber,thegeneralhazardstheyposeandrecommendedsafetyprecautions.Forexample,ifemergencyrespondersarriveatthesceneofanoverturnedtractortrailerdisplayingaDOThazmatplacard,theywouldusetheguidetoidentifythematerialassociatedwiththeplacardandgetguidanceonhowtorespondaccordingly.
The2016versionoftheERGincludesgeneralrevisions,reorganizedgeneralinformationpages,andtheadditionofprotectivedistancemapping.Updatedeveryfouryears,theERGisavailablefreetopublicsafetyagenciesinallstatesandterritoriesthroughdesignatedstatecoordinators’offices.PHMSAhaspartneredwiththeNationalLibraryofMedicinetoprovidethisfreeapplicationaswellasaversionoftheERGinitsWirelessInformationSystemforEmergencyResponders(WISER)application.