The U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has released the 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) to assist first responders in dealing with hazmat accidents. The ERG provides a comprehensive list of dangerous goods and their associated ID numbers, as well as general hazards and recommended safety precautions. This information is crucial for emergency responders to quickly identify the material associated with a DOT hazmat placard and respond accordingly within the first 30 minutes of an accident.

The 2020 version of the ERG includes general revisions, reorganized general information pages, and the addition of protective distance mapping. The guide is updated every four years and is available free of charge to public safety agencies in all states and territories through designated state coordinators’ offices. PHMSA has also partnered with the National Library of Medicine to provide a free application and a version of the ERG in its Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) application.

The ERG is an essential resource for first responders dealing with hazmat accidents. It provides critical information on how to handle dangerous goods and minimize the risks associated with them. The guide is regularly updated to ensure that responders have access to the most current information. With the addition of protective distance mapping, the 2020 version of the ERG is an even more valuable tool for emergency responders.