Who to Call for Assistance

Upon arrival at the scene, a first responder is expected to recognize the presence of dangerous goods, protect oneself and the public, secure the area, and call for the assistance of trained personnel as soon as conditions permit. Follow the steps outlined in your organization's standard operating procedures and/or local emergency response plan for obtaining qualified assistance. Generally, the notification sequence and requests for technical information beyond what is available in this guidebook should occur in the following order:

1. Organization/Agency

Notify your organization/agency. This will set in motion a series of events based upon the information provided. Actions may range from dispatching additional trained personnel to the scene to activating the local emergency response plan. Ensure that local fire and police departments have been notified.

2. Emergency Response Telephone Number

Locate and call the telephone number listed on the shipping document. The person answering the phone at the listed emergency response number must be knowledgeable of the materials and mitigation actions to be taken, or must have immediate access to a person who has the required knowledge.

3. National Assistance

Contact the appropriate emergency response agency listed on the inside back cover of this guidebook when the emergency response telephone number is not available from the shipping papers. Upon receipt of a call describing the nature of the incident, the agency will provide immediate advice on handling the early stages of the incident. The agency will also contact the shipper or manufacturer of the material for more detailed information and request on-scene assistance when necessary.

Collect and provide as much of the following information as can safely be obtained to your chain-of-command and specialists contacted for technical guidance:

Your name, call back telephone number, FAX number
Location and nature of problem (spill, fire, etc.)
Name and identification number of material(s) involved
Shipper/consignee/point of origin
Carrier name, rail car or truck number
Container type and size
Quantity of material transported/released
Local conditions (weather, terrain, proximity to schools, hospitals, waterways, etc.)
Injuries and exposures
Local emergency services that have been notified

Canada

1. CANUTEC>

CANUTEC> is the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre operated by the Transport Dangerous Goods Directorate of Transport Canada.

CANUTEC> provides a national bilingual (French and English) advisory service and is staffed by professional scientists experienced and trained in interpreting technical information and providing emergency response advice.

In an emergency, CANUTEC> may be called collect at
613-996-6666 (24 hours)
*666 cellular (Press Star 666, Canada only)

In a non-emergency situation, please call the information line at 613-992-4624 (24 hours).

2. PROVINCIAL AGENCIES

Although technical information and emergency response assistance can be obtained from CANUTEC>, there are federal and provincial regulations requiring the reporting of dangerous goods incidents to certain authorities.

The following list of provincial agencies is supplied for your convenience.

Province Emergency Authority and/or Telephone Number

* This number is not accessible from outside Alberta.

** This number is not accessible from outside of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island.

United States

1. CHEMTREC®, a 24-hour emergency response communication service, can be reached as follows:

CALL CHEMTREC® (24 hours)
1-800-424-9300
(Toll-free in the U.S., Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
For calls originating elsewhere:
703-527-3887 (Collect calls are accepted)

2. CHEMTEL, INC., a 24-hour emergency response communication service, can be reached as follows:

CALL CHEMTEL, INC. (24 hours)
1-888-255-3924
(Toll-free in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
For calls originating elsewhere:
813-248-0585 (Collect calls are accepted)

3. INFOTRAC, a 24-hour emergency response communication service, can be reached as follows:

CALL INFOTRAC (24 hours)
1-800-535-5053
(Toll-free in the U.S., Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
For calls originating elsewhere:
352-323-3500 (Collect calls are accepted)

4. 3E COMPANY, a 24-hour emergency response communication service, can be reached as follows:

CALL 3E COMPANY (24 hours)
1-800-451-8346
(Toll-free in the U.S., Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
For calls originating elsewhere:
760-602-8703 (Collect calls are accepted)

The emergency response information services shown above have requested to be listed as providers of emergency response information and have agreed to provide emergency response information to all callers. They maintain periodically updated lists of state and Federal radiation authorities who provide information and technical assistance on handling incidents involving radioactive materials.

5. Military shipments

For assistance at incidents involving materials being shipped by, for, or to the Department of Defense (DOD), call one of the following numbers (24 hours):

703-697-0218 (call collect) (U.S. Army Operations Center) for incidents involving explosives and ammunition.

1-800-851-8061 (toll-free in the U.S.) (Defense Logistics Agency) for incidents involving dangerous goods other than explosives and ammunition.

6. Nationwide poison control center (United States Only)

Emergency and information calls are answered by the nearest Poison Center (24 hours):

1-800-222-1222 (toll-free in the U.S.). 

The above numbers are for emergencies only.

National response center (NRC)

The NRC, which is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, receives reports required when dangerous goods and hazardous substances are spilled. After receiving notification of an incident, the NRC will immediately notify the appropriate Federal On-Scene Coordinator and concerned Federal agencies. Federal law requires that anyone who releases into the environment a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance (including oil when water is, or may be affected) or a material identified as a marine pollutant, must immediately notify the NRC. When in doubt as to whether the amount released equals the required reporting levels for these materials, the NRC should be notified.

Call NRC (24 hours)
1-800-424-8802
(Toll-free in the U.S., Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
202-267-2675 in the District of Columbia

Calling the emergency response telephone number, CHEMTREC®, CHEMTEL, INC., INFOTRAC or 3E COMPANY, does not constitute compliance with regulatory requirements to call the NRC.

Mexico

1. SETIQ (Emergency Transportation System for the Chemical Industry), a service of the National Association of Chemical Industries (ANIQ), can be reached as follows:

CALL SETIQ (24 hours)
01-800-00-214-00 in the Mexican Republic
For calls originating in Mexico City and the Metropolitan Area
5559-1588
For calls originating elsewhere, call
+52-55-5559-1588

2. CENACOM, the National Center for Communications of the Civil Protection Agency, can be reached as follows:

CALL CENACOM (24 hours)
01-800-00-413-00 in the Mexican Republic
For calls originating in Mexico City and the Metropolitan Area
5128-0000 exts. 11470, 11471, 11472, 11473, 11474, 11475, 11476 and 11477
For calls originating elsewhere, call
+52-55-5128-0000 exts. 11470, 11471, 11472, 11474, 11475 and 11476

ARGENTINA

1. CIQUIME (Chemistry Information Center for Emergencies) a 24-hour emergency response information service, can be reached as follows:

CALL CIQUIME (24 hours)
0-800-222-2933 in the Republic of Argentina
For calls originating elsewhere, call
+54-11-4613-1100

Brazil

1. PRÓ-QUÍMICA a 24-hour emergency response information service, can be reached as follows:

CALL PRÓ-QUÍMICA (24 hours)
0-800-118270 in the Federal Republic of Brazil
For calls originating elsewhere, call
+55-11-232-1144

Colombia

1. CISPROQUIM a 24-hour emergency response information service, can be reached as follows:

CALL CISPROQUIM (24 hours)
01-800-091-6012 in Colombia
For calls originating in Bogotá, Colombia call
288-6012
For calls originating elsewhere, call
+57-1-288-6012