b'IntroductionIntroductionP ipelines are the safest and most reliable way to trans-portnaturalgas,crudeoil,liquidpetroleumand chemical products.Pipelines are primarily underground, which keeps them away from public contact and accidental damage. Pipelines can move large volumes of product at a significantly lower operating cost when compared to other modes of transportation.To meet the pipeline industrys goal of reliable incident-free operation, pipeline operators invest substantial human andfinancialresourcestoprotectthepeople,property andenvironmentsnearpipelines.Damageprevention measuresincluderoutineinspectionandmaintenance, corrosionprotection,continuousmonitoringandcontrol technologies,publicawarenessprograms,integrityman-agement and emergency response plans. While pipelines are generally the safest method of transporting hazardous chemicals, they are not failsafe. Pipeline product releases, whether in the form of a slow leak or rupture, are a risk in any community. In the event of a pipeline incident, it is critical that you know how to respond and are prepared to work together with the pipeline operator.Developing a mutual understanding with pipe-line operators regarding cooperation and coordination of response efforts will improve the effectiveness of the response.This guide contains a set of general interoperable emergency response pro- ceduresandisintendedtoprovidefirefighters,lawenforcementofficers, emergencymedicaltechniciansandallotheremergencyresponderswho may be the first to arrive at the scene with the basic information they need to safelyhandleapipelineincident.Itshouldnotbeconsideredasubstitute for emergency response training, knowledge or sound judgment. This guide contains information that will help you make decisions about how to best protect your emergency response team and the surrounding public during a pipeline incident. Please send us your suggestions for improving the content in the booklet.We are especially interested in any feedback you may have concerning the coor-dinated response actions identified in Response Step 7, Working Together with the Pipeline Operator.Let us know if you agree or disagree with these expectations and why.A feedback form is available in the Resources section of our website at: https://pipelineawareness.org/resources/ or you can just email pipeline.association@pipelineawareness.info3 2020 by Pipeline Association for Public AwarenessPERG 2020 Final.indd 3 8/5/20 4:16 PM'