When arriving at a potential hazmat incident on a highway, where should you stage the emergency vehicle?

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Positioning emergency units uphill and upwind from a hazmat release uses terrain and wind direction to reduce exposure risk. Hazmat spills and vapors tend to travel with the wind and flow downhill due to gravity. By staging uphill, you place distance and a slope between you and any leaking liquid that would run downhill toward you. By staging upwind, you sit opposite the direction the vapors are blowing, which minimizes inhalation exposure as the plume moves away from you. This setup also helps with safe access, egress, and keeping traffic at a safer distance as you begin scene stabilization and assessment.

Choosing downhill and downwind would place you in the probable path of the plume or migrating liquids, increasing exposure. Being abreast of the incident or downstream would still risk coming into the hazard’s dispersion path or contacting pooled material, respectively. Uphill and upwind is the safer, more protective position.