b'PPIIPPEELLIINNEEEEMMEERRGGEENNCCYYRREESSPPOONNSSEEGGUUIIDDEELLIINNEESSSHELTER-IN-PLACE OR EVACUATE?UPDATEDWhen people are exposed to a hazardous condition like a pipeline leak, the natural response is to get away from the hazard and evacuate the area. However, sheltering in place may be a safer alternative under certain circumstances. So how does a person know which protective action is best? The answer is, It depends.Each situation is different and there are many things to consider in evaluating the hazards associated with a pipeline leak. Some of the most significant include: toxicity of the product, potential exposure to fire, wind direction, proximity to the leak, adequacy of the available shelters, and the response capabilities of the affected individuals. Examples of situations where each protective action would be appropriate are shownin the table below. GENERAL PROTECTIVE ACTIONS FOR VARIOUS PIPELINE LEAKSProductsEvacuationShelter-In-PlaceSmall leaks in outside areas with Natural Gas Any size leak inside a building orno potential for gas migrationenclosed space. through soil and a fire would not impact the shelter.Petroleum GasLeaks located uphill from availableSmall leaks located downhill Petroleum Liquids shelter or where a shelter could be (liquids) or downwind (gasses)adversely impacted by a fire. from a shelter where a fire Ethanol would not impact the shelter Anhydrous AmmoniaLeaks located downwind of Large or small leaks upwindCarbon Dioxideavailable shelters. of the location.Products containingSmall leaks downwind and/orLarge or small leaks upwind Hydrogen Sulfidedownhill of the location. and/or uphill of the location.(e.g. Sour Gas)Before deciding which protective action may be best in your situation, obtain specific pipeline informationfrom the operators and discuss alternatives with your local Hazmat response team. Additional guidelines such as the U.S. DOT Emergency Response Guidebook should also be consulted.A re-formatted copy of the Evacuation/Shelter-In-Place Decision Guide developed by the Nashua Office of Emergency Management and the Nashua Regional Planning Commission is also available as an additionalresource. It addresses the pros and cons of evacuation and shelter-in-place in greater detail. It is available for download at https://qrco.de/decisionguide. SCAN FOR A PDF COPY OF THIS BULLETINOr visit https://qrco.de/evacuation44 2023 by Pipeline Association for Public Awareness'