Partnership Brings New iOS Reference App From National Library of Medicine
Here’s a new reference app that provides access to a reference tool designed for first responders but that might also be of interest to journalists, educators, health professionals, etc. It’s also a reference tool libraries might want to add to their local collections.
The app provides access to the 2012 Emergency Response Guidebook from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and is being made available through a partnership between the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and PHMSA.
From the iTunes App Store:
PHMSA (U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration)’s 2012 Emergency Response Guidebook provides first responders with a go-to resource to help deal with hazmat accidents during the critical first 30 minutes.
The ERG contains an indexed list of dangerous goods and the associated ID number, the general hazards they pose and recommended safety precautions. For example, if emergency responders arrive at the scene of an overturned tractor trailer displaying a DOT hazmat placard, they would use the guide to identify the material associated with the placard and get guidance on how to respond accordingly.
The 2012 version of the ERG includes general revisions, reorganized general information pages and new tables such as Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances for large spills involving six common toxic inhalation hazard gases. Updated every four years, the ERG is available free to public safety agencies in all states and territories through designated state coordinators’ offices.
Direct to App Store
A version of the guide can also be found in NLM’s WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders iOS app. WebWiser is available for all web browsers.
See Also: A PDF Version of the 2012 Emergency Response Guidebook is also available.
Filed under: Libraries, National Libraries, News
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.