Events in which the release of a hazardous chemical has the potential for harming people's health. Hazardous chemicals include biotoxins, blister agents/vesicants, blood agents, caustics (acids), choking/lung/pulmonary agents, incapacitating agents, long-acting anticoagulants, metals, nerve agents, organic solvents, riot control agents/tear gas, toxic alcohols, and vomiting agents. Examples of hazardous chemicals include ricin, mustard gas, cyanide, chlorine, mercury, and benzene. For more information, please visit the CDC page on chemical emergencies.
In April 2010, the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion killed 11 people and spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. As tar balls and oil sheen washed up on shorelines, public health departments in the Gulf region turned their attention to monitoring the health effects of the spill, particularly among people using beaches and individuals involved in clean-up efforts.
Connecticut experiences a wide array of seasonal hazards, such as severe winter storms, hurricanes, and floods, and it must also prepare for accidents stemming from man-made disasters, infectious disease, or incidents at the two nuclear power plants located within its region. The effect of Tropical Storm Irene on the East Coast in summer 2011 and a rare October Nor’easter two months later highlighted Connecticut’s susceptibility to a variety of natural/seasonal hazards.
Health department preparedness for chemical emergencies often requires the involvement of multiple state agencies to assure that all aspects of environmental and human health are addressed in response. Given the scientific complexity of responding to a chemical emergency, effective risk communication to responders and to the public is a growing area of concern.
Prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH) worked with the British Columbia Ministry of Health (BCMOH) to boost cross-border emergency preparedness.
While emergencies involving the release of chemicals harmful to human health can occur anywhere, they are often of greater concern to industrial communities or communities that have been identified as a potential target for an intentional attack. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners manages the Chemical Emergency Preparedness Advisory Council (CEPAC) of Franklin County to plan for these and daily concerns in its central Ohio community.
