We live in a hazmat world — a scary thought as we also live in the age of terrorism. Some quantity of hazardous materials is included in 800,000 shipments every day, according to the American Society of Safety Engineers. More than 3.1 billion tons of hazmats were transported in the U.S. in 2000, resulting in 17,514 hazmat incidents, 13 fatalities, 246 injuries and causing $72,727,595 in damages.

To provide vital info on hazmats, ASSE has published, "Hazardous Materials Safety Information Guide," which aims to educate the public on hazardous materials — what they are, who to call in an emergency, how local emergency planning committees work, and much more.

For round-the-clock reporting of an incident, the U.S. National Response Center is open 24/7 and is where all chemical, radiological and etiological discharges into the environment are reported by calling 1-800-424-8802.

For a copy of the ASSE brochure contact ASSE customer service at 847-699-2929 or email customerservice@asse.org and ask for item number G017. The brochure can be downloaded for free off of ASSE's web site at http://www.asse.org/newsroom.