USCG Hazmat Database Available to First Responders

The U.S. Coast Guard is publishing a free CD-ROM database of chemical information to first responders nationwide:

Users can search the database by a substance's color, odor, and physical appearance and use the data to plan for a safe and effective response. Chemicals are rated according to health risk, flammability, and reactivity, among other factors, using data from several sources. The CD-ROM, known as CHRIS+, includes:

• USCG's Chemical Hazards Response Information System (CHRIS)
• The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide
• The Department of Transportation's Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)
• USCG's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) First Responder's Guide

This is a common-sense approach to information-sharing.