VA Business Toolkit
Citizen Corps
Threats & Emergencies
Hazmat Incidents
Hazmat Home • Responding to Hazmat Incidents
Hazardous materials, or hazmat, are substances that, because of their chemical nature, pose a potential risk to life, health or property if they are released. Spills can happen during production, storage, transportation, use or disposal of these substances.
All jurisdictions in Virginia have a Local Emergency Planning Committee that identifies local industrial hazardous materials and keeps the community informed of the potential risks. Contact your local emergency management office to find out where hazardous chemicals are located in your area, as well as information about your Local Emergency Planning Committee.
Virginia’s hazardous materials officers typically receive 2,000 notifications of hazmat incidents a year. Of these, spills or releases of flammable liquids are the most common. Fixed facilities, like industrial plants, highways and waterways are where most of the incidents occur. Hampton Roads historically reports the greatest number of petroleum and other hazardous materials releases, mainly due to the large number of ports and shipping operations in the area.
Homes, businesses and schools located near the site of a hazardous materials spill or release are likely to be unaffected unless the substance is airborne and poses a threat to areas outside the accident site. In that case, local emergency officials would order an immediate evacuation of areas that could potentially be affected. Depending on the type of hazardous substance, it could take hours or days for emergency officials to deem the area safe for return. In some cases, special equipment might be used to decontaminate people, objects or buildings affected.
