The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) was developed jointly by the US Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico (SCT) for use by firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving a hazardous material.
The purpose of the ERG is to help responders:
- quickly identify the specific or generic classification of the material(s) involved in the incident, and
- protect themselves and the general public during this initial response phase of the incident.
The ERG is updated every three to four years to accommodate new products and technology. The newest version is for 2004.
How can I order a copy of the new 2004 ERG?
Copies are made available free of charge to public emergency responders through the state coordinator (U.S. only). In Canada, contact CANUTEC at 613-992-4624 or via Internet at for information. In Mexico, call SCT at 52-5-684-1275. Copies are also available electronically by following this link to the DOT Website http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/gydebook.htm.