If a chemical emergency could affect
citizens within the City of Baytown, police/fire dispatchers will activate
the Emergency Warning Sirens. The alarms are only activated for chemical
emergencies,
not for tornadoes, hurricanes, or other types of emergencies. The Emergency
Warning Sirens are tested at 9:00 a.m. every Wednesday morning using a 30-second
WHOOP sound. The sirens can be sounded citywide or only in the geographic
area affected by the release.
Also, a Telephone Notification System
called "First Call" can ring the telephones of homes and businesses in the
immediate danger area, giving pre-recorded instructions about what to do. This
system can be activated citywide or within one or more geographic zones,
reaching more than 300 telephones at the same time.
The First Call database contains all
listed telephone numbers in Baytown. Residents with unlisted telephone numbers
who would like to be added to the database should call the Office of Emergency
Management at 281/420-6556. The information you provide will only be used
for emergency notification purposes.
Once you hear the sirens or receive the
telephone notification, you can obtain additional information from AM 1610 or AM
740 KTRH.
You can purchase a NOAA Weather Radio at
local electronics stores to monitor severe weather warnings and watches issued
by the National Weather Service.
The Baytown Office of Emergency Management
can use the Media Alert Notification System (MANS) to e-mail details to local
media outlets.
The City or industry may also post
additional information on the CAER Line (281-476-2237). Press 4 to hear
CAER Line messages about the Baytown area.
WHAT IS THE WARNING SOUND USED ON THE EMERGENCY WARNING SIRENS?
The Warning Sound consists of 7 wavering
WHOOP sounds followed by a public address message advising persons to go inside.
This generic public address message is designed to warn children and adults who
are outside in their yards, city parks, school playgrounds, and golf courses, as
well as visitors to our city who may not know the purpose of the Emergency
Warning Sirens.
If you have a sound card and speakers on
your computer, click the icon below to listen to the Warning Sound.
WHAT SHOULD I DO DURING A CHEMICAL EMERGENCY?
Industry officials are responsible for
notifying City of Baytown officials about any chemical release that may affect
the community. City of Baytown officials are responsible for warning nearby
homes, schools and businesses and recommending appropriate protective actions.
You are responsible for following those instructions to protect yourself and
your family.
City officials may recommend that you
"shelter in place" until the chemical release is stopped and winds have
dissipated any vapors. Here's how to Shelter In Place:
1.
GO INSIDE IMMEDIATELY
Take yourself and anyone near you inside
an enclosed structure, whether it's a house, business, garage, or vehicle. If
you know of an invalid or unattended child in your neighborhood, call them and
tell them to remain indoors. Keep any pets inside also.
Close all doors, windows, and other
sources of outside air. Turn off air conditioning or heating systems, and close
the fireplace damper to keep chemical vapors from entering. Ceiling fans or
rotary fans inside the building can be safely used to keep cool. Gather a
portable radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
Move into an interior room, preferably a
room with no windows. From the inside of that room, cover any outside
doors, windows, ceiling vents, and other sources of outside air with plastic
sheeting and masking tape. Place a wet towel or sheet along the bottom of
the door sill. If you smell any unusual odor or have trouble breathing,
you should sit down, cover your nose and mouth with a damp washcloth, then take
slow, shallow breaths and try to stay calm.
2.
TURN ON YOUR RADIO TO AM 1610 OR AM 740
The City has installed its own radio
station at 1610 on the AM dial. During non-emergency periods, AM 1610 airs
community and school district news, and re-broadcasts reports from the National
Weather Service. During a chemical release, AM 1610 will continuously repeat
instructions about how to Shelter In Place and provide more information as it's
available. Because AM 1610 operates at only 10 watts, you may need a more
powerful radio or outside antenna to hear these broadcasts.
If you can't hear AM 1610, tune your AM
radio to KTRH AM 740 instead. KTRH is the official Emergency Alert System (EAS)
station for the Houston area and can re-broadcast emergency messages transmitted
by the City of Baytown.
3. STAY OFF THE TELEPHONE
City officials may try to telephone your
home or business using the City's Telephone Notification System. Do not call
police, fire, or 9-1-1 unless you are reporting a police, fire or medical
emergency at your location. Overloaded telephone circuits may keep actual
emergency calls from getting through.
SHOULD I TRY TO EVACUATE?
Evacuation may be an appropriate
precaution during a flood or hurricane, but you should NOT attempt an evacuation
during a chemical emergency unless specifically ordered by city officials.
Leaving your home or business may expose you to more chemical vapors, especially
if you travel toward the leak or through the toxic cloud as it drifts downwind.
WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND SHELTER?
Studies indicate that taking shelter is
the best response to a chemical release. Even a poorly sealed building or
vehicle provides some protection against chemical vapors. If you are inside a
vehicle, close your vehicle's doors and windows, and turn off the vehicle's air
conditioning and ventilation system. Turn on your car radio to AM 1610 or KTRH
AM 740 for more information.
If you can't get inside, move in a
crosswind direction, so the wind is blowing from left to right, or right to
left, but NOT directly into your face or from behind you. You can see what
direction the wind is blowing by observing nearby trees, flags, or clouds in the
sky.
WHAT IF MY CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL?
The Baytown LEPC has installed both EAS Sentinel
Radios and NOAA Weather Radios in the Goose Creek Consolidated School
District's school buildings. Teachers and staff have been trained how to protect your
children and will shelter in place until the emergency is over.
Please do NOT call the school and tie up
telephone lines needed by school staff to communicate with district officials.
If you go to the school, you are putting yourself and all the other children in
danger if school officials open the doors to let you remove your children from
their safe shelter. In fact, you and your children could be overcome by vapors
while traveling to or from the school. Instead, listen to AM 1610 for parent
information from school officials.
HOW WILL I
KNOW WHEN THE EMERGENCY IS OVER?
Stay inside, sheltered in place, until you hear
the "All Clear" message from city
officials over the Emergency Warning Sirens, telephone notification system, or AM
1610.
WHAT
IS THE ALL CLEAR SOUND?
The
All Clear Sound is a continuous tone on the Emergency Warning Sirens.
After the All Clear signal has been given, open
all doors and windows, turn on your air conditioning or heating system, then go
outside to let the building "air out" for 15 to 30 minutes before you
re-enter.
If you have a sound card
and speakers on your computer, click on the icon below to listen to the All Clear Sound.
