The Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that the RAND Corporation recently released the fourth and newest report of "Protecting Emergency Responders," its series of safety and health risk studies for the Emergency Services Sector (ESS). Requested by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the new publication proposes guidelines to better protect responders from the chemical, biological, and physical hazards that exist following the collapse of large buildings.

The goal of the guidelines is to reduce the extent of injuries like those suffered by ESS personnel at the World Trade Center on and after 9/11. While addressing the full duration of an emergency response, the guidelines emphasize protection during the first few hours after a collapse, when the full extent of hazards is highly uncertain. To prepare these guidelines, RAND researchers reviewed all potential hazards that could be present, all possible responder missions, and the full range of workers who likely would respond to the collapse of a tall building, including all ESS, construction, and utilities support personnel.

In addition to proposed guidelines that address how responders should assess hazards, select appropriate equipment, and manage safety, the study considers problems of logistical support and safety training. For example, it includes provisions for decontamination and for replacing personal protective equipment because search and rescue operations may extend over many days.

With the report's spotlight on safeguarding the most critical of the ESS infrastructure-personnel-the EMR-ISAC encourages responder organizations to visit http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2006/RAND_MG425.pdf, and download the document at no charge: Protecting Emergency Responders, Vol. 4: Personal Protective Equipment Guidelines for Structural Collapse Events.