Chemical industry emergency response mutual aid in America

Abstract

The chemical industry has found mutual aid networks to provide emergency response to incidents involving their products to be very useful to provide quick and effective response. They have used this mechanism to provide emergency response along product lines and in selected geographical areas. They have also found it a cost-effective way to provide specialized equipment and supplies for emergency response. The mutual aid system does increase the liability of the members, but this is more than offset by the benefits of having a qualified team to go to the scene quickly. To expand the benefits of mutual aid, the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) set up a new program called CHEMNET that provides emergency response advice and assistance to a wide variety of products. The program includes membership from companies too small to justify their own emergency response capabilities because they can use the service of other members or contractors.