What's the first thing I do on a HAZMAT scene?

Stage upwind, uphill, and upstream from the incident. Read the placard with binoculars — do not enter the hot zone.

What's the Emergency Response Guide?

The DOT ERG is a free reference that cross-references UN numbers and placards to isolation and protective distances. Every EMS unit should carry one.

Can I treat a contaminated patient?

Not until gross decon is complete. Contamination becomes your problem the moment you touch the patient without proper PPE.

Reference

HAZMAT placards.

Nine hazard classes, one rule: read from a safe distance, upwind and uphill.

The nine hazard classes

1Class 1 — ExplosivesOrange placard. Divisions 1.1–1.6. Stage far back — blast plus fragmentation.
2Class 2 — GasesRed = flammable, green = non-flammable, white = poison/inhalation hazard.
3Class 3 — Flammable liquidsRed placard. Fuel, solvents, alcohols. Vapor is the danger — no ignition sources.
4Class 4 — Flammable solidsRed/white stripes. Includes spontaneously combustible and dangerous-when-wet.
5Class 5 — Oxidizers & organic peroxidesYellow placard. Not fuel themselves but make everything else burn faster.
6Class 6 — Poisons & infectiousWhite placard with skull-and-crossbones or biohazard symbol. Contact and inhalation risk.
7Class 7 — RadioactiveYellow/white with trefoil. Time, distance, shielding. Rare in prehospital.
8Class 8 — CorrosivesWhite/black with test-tube-on-hand symbol. Acids and bases — decon before contact.
9Class 9 — MiscellaneousWhite with black vertical stripes. Elevated-temperature materials, lithium batteries.

The 4-digit UN number

The number in the middle of the placard is a UN identifier. Look it up in the Emergency Response Guide's yellow section to find the specific material, then use the orange section for isolation and protective-action distances.

EMS scene approach

Stage upwind, uphill, upstream from the incident
Use binoculars — do not enter the hot zone
Isolate at least the ERG initial distance until refined data arrives
Wait for hazmat-trained crews to complete gross decon
Notify the receiving ED early — they may need to decon on arrival

NFPA 704 (fixed facilities)

The diamond on buildings uses four quadrants: blue (health), red (flammability), yellow (reactivity), white (special hazard). Ratings run 0 (minimal) to 4 (severe). A 4 in any color means catastrophic risk.

NREMT skill sheets HAZMAT awareness for EMTs

Frequently asked

What's the first thing I do on a HAZMAT scene?: Stage upwind, uphill, and upstream from the incident. Read the placard with binoculars — do not enter the hot zone.
What's the Emergency Response Guide?: The DOT ERG is a free reference that cross-references UN numbers and placards to isolation and protective distances. Every EMS unit should carry one.
Can I treat a contaminated patient?: Not until gross decon is complete. Contamination becomes your problem the moment you touch the patient without proper PPE.

For educational and exam-preparation use only. Not a substitute for HAZMAT Operations training or the current DOT ERG.