How to respond to an indoor air quality emergency in a building: this article describes four key actions to take in response to an actual or believed indoor air quality emergency: immediately seek expert assistance, get out of the affected areas of the building, ventilate the affected areas, and inform other building occupants of the hazard.

Four Actions to Take in an Immediate Indoor Air Quality Emergency

If you believe that an indoor air quality or contamination emergency exists, get out of the building and seek professional help from emergency services such as dialing 911 from a telephone outside of and away from the building. 

The US EPA IAQ Wheel offers these emergency steps for immediate action in an actual or suspected mold or building air emergency [expanded with comments - Ed]:

1. Immediately seek medical or public health assistance (e.g. from local or state health department - suitable for mold and similar IAQ emergencies], [or in the case of carbon monoxide or other building gas hazards, or more broad building safety questions, your local fire department, emergency rescue services, or police department]
2. Evacuate the affected areas, if warranted, and if feasible, take steps to limit or stop unsafe conditions [turn off dangerous heating equipment, shut water mains where plumbing supply pipes have burst];
   
   Watch Out: IF YOU SUSPECT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING GO INTO FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY and get others out of the building, then call your fire department or emergency services for help.
   
   Watch out: IF YOU SUSPECT SEWER GAS or METHANE GAS HAZARDS do not operate electrical switches, cell phones, or light any flame - there may be an explosion hazard. Get others out of the building, then call your fire department or emergency services for help. Sewer gas contains methane gas (CH₄) - is a risk of an explosion hazard or even fatal asphyxiation.
   
   Details area at METHANE & SEWER GAS HAZARDS
3. Ventilate the suspected areas: when appropriate, such as for carbon monoxide poisoning [first turn off the suspected equipment] or chemical spills, ventilate the affected areas with large amounts of outside air (use temporary fans if needed).
4. Inform building occupants and parents of minors of the problem and maintain clear communications.

If you are not sure if a mold emergency exists

If you feel unsafe, follow the advice given above.

Additional information helpful in deciding if an emergency condition exists can be read at the links given below.

If you cannot get out of an unsafe building

Watch out: First, if you smell gas or carbon monoxide or see smoke (or fire) you must go outside and call 911.

Staying in such a building is an immediate risk of death for its occupants. Get everyone out.

For other building hazards such as poor air quality, odors, mold contamination, possible sewage contamination, those areas may also be unsafe to occupy.

However some readers tell us that even in those unsafe conditions and even if they are already sick and think the building is the cause, even so, they cannot leave because there is no emergency housing or no emergency money immediately available.

For that situation, and recognizing that staying in such a building can lead to very serious illness, injury or even death, we're forced by that situation to try to offer some advice, found

at UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT, CAN'T LEAVE

...

Continue reading at DEFINITION of MOLD EMERGENCY or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS
• ASBESTOS TESTING LAB LIST
• BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS
• CARBON MONOXIDE - CO
• CHOOSE a FLOOD DAMAGE RESTORATION or MOLD REMEDIATOR
• DIRECTORY of MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS
• DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE
• EXPERTS DIRECTORIES
• FIBERGLASS HAZARDS
• HOUSE DUST ANALYSIS
• HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY for professional inspection or testing services?
• INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
• MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT, HIRE ? - when to hire an expert
  • CLEAN MOLD BEFORE TESTING?
  • CHOOSE a FLOOD DAMAGE RESTORATION or MOLD REMEDIATOR
  • CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
  • DEFINITION of IAQ PROBLEM
  • DEFINITION of MOLD EMERGENCY
  • IAQ EMERGENCY STEPS
  • MOLD TEST vs MOLD INSPECT
• MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY
• ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE
• OTHER PEOPLE's MONEY - watch out for experts whose advice is principally designed to protect themselves at your expense
• STAINS on & in BUILDINGS, CAUSES & CURES
• TOXIC GAS TEST PROCEDURES
UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT, CAN'T LEAVE - what if you have to continue to live in a moldy apartment or rental home?

Suggested citation for this web page

IAQ EMERGENCY STEPS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING ENVIRONMENT

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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