Communication and evacuation

It is quite obvious that the questions concerning communication and evacuation in case of chemical accidents have not been given much attention previously and that there is a need for research and development in this field. This is especially so when it is a transport accident. The problems, that follow from the fact that, as a rule, there are different responsible authorities for emergency response at sea and on land and the communications and co-operation between these, have to be dealt with. Experience shows that even though chemical accidents at sea are not frequent, they can be serious with far reaching consequences. There is a more or less general view in different countries that the public, which might be affected by an accident, has a right to get information about the risks which it is exposed to and the measures that should be taken in case of an accident. The forms for giving such information need to be developed. The methods and means for giving the alarm and assessing the situation must be improved. This is vital for transport accidents especially at sea in order to be able to warn the population and to decide on what action to take. Due to the time factor, evacuation is not considered to be a primary option. It is proposed that the public should, when the warning signal is given, seek protection in the nearest building and wait for instructions on the radio. All the same, the emergency services have to have plans for evacuation. In the paper, exercises are underlined as the most efficient way of getting an adequate emergency response in case of chemical accidents.