The quicker actions can be taken after an incident involving the release of hazardous material, the less harm will occur. Guidance is, therefore, needed to help members of the public to act rapidly before emergency responders arrive.
To enable members of the public to take recommended actions quickly, the Home Office and National Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centre have developed the “Remove, Remove, Remove” pre-incident information campaign.
The “Remove, Remove, Remove” campaign includes critical information for anyone who is at or near the immediate scene of a hazardous material release. Using a representative sample of 1,000 members of the UK population, this study examined the impact of the information campaign on knowledge and perceptions both before and during the immediate response to an incident.
Findings showed that perceptions of the information were positive, with respondents stating that the information was useful and that the recommended actions would be effective. Respondents also stated they would be willing and able to perform the actions during a real incident. These materials have been disseminated to all emergency services in the UK to further embed Initial Operational Response principles, as well as to crowd safety professionals.
Public Perceptions of the “Remove, Remove, Remove” Information Campaign Before and During a Hazardous Materials Incident: A Survey. Health Security, 18 February 2021.