General precautions for protecting oneself at a WMD Incident include:

• Protective action—Actions taken to preserve health and safety in emergency situations
• Evacuation—Consistent with one’s jurisdictional procedures and protocols, as soon as an individual determines they are in, or about to enter, a potential incident site, he/she should immediately begin to exit the site while communicating to others in the area to do the same. In most situations involving WMD or other hazardous material, the individual should move upwind, uphill, and upstream from any incident site. (Recommended distances for evacuation can be found in the Emergency Response Guidebook.)
• Isolation—Isolation involves the prevention of everyone not directly involved in the emergency response operations from entering the affected area.
• Shelter-in-place—If evacuation is not possible or is not the most appropriate action to take; provide shelter-in-place protection. Shelter-in-place means people should seek shelter inside a building and remain inside until the danger passes. Shelter-in-place protection is used when an evacuation cannot be performed, and when evacuating the public would put them at greater risk. When sheltering-in-place, it is important to turn off ventilation systems and close all windows and doors, keeping in mind any potential multiple devices.
• Sight—Use these guides when using sense of sight to recognize the following indicators of hazardous materials: visible corrosion, chemical reactions, pooling liquids, condensation lines on pressure tanks, injured victims or casualties, dead animals or plants, fire, or vapor clouds. Multiple victims with the same signs and symptoms may indicate a potential WMD release (convulsions or spasms, difficulty breathing, large amounts of salivation, tearing, loss of bladder control, loss of bowel control, severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, and pinpointed pupils).
• Sound—Listening to the surroundings may also provide a clue as to the presence of a hazardous material. For example, a hissing sound may be an indication of pressure releases. Talk to victims or other people evacuating the area about what they saw, heard, or smelled.
• Odors—The sense of smell may detect odors that are indicators of hazardous materials coming from fire, vapor clouds, or gas leaks. While smell is often a good indicator of the presence of a hazardous material, it can also be dangerous if the individual is too close or smells too much of the material. If close enough to smell a substance, there is a risk of inhalation and respiratory injury; leave the area immediately.
• Touching—Do not touch any substance that has not been identified.
• Tasting—Do not taste any substance that has not been identified.