This week is National Hazardous Material Awareness Week. The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management offers some tips when handling chemicals and potential toxins outside the home.

If you see an accident, call 911 immediately. You should not walk into or touch any spilled substance, and try to avoid inhaling gases, fumes, or smoke. Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf also offers a piece of advice when coming across individuals affected by an accident. “The most important thing to know is don’t go in after them. Whatever caused them to go down will probably cause you to go down before more advanced help can get there. It’s a hard thing to do, but sometimes you have to back away and let somebody else take care of it.”

Kempf also recommends staying upwind, upstream, or uphill from any dangerous substances, as gravity will most likely determine the course of the dangerous materials. Finally, everyone should have a communication plan and listen to local media, such as Raccoon Valley Radio, for the latest updates on emergency situations involving hazardous materials. If unable to evacuate, homeowners should seal off all possible ways toxins can enter the home. To hear more tips from Kempf on avoiding toxins outside the home, listen to today’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County.