CAMEO

CAMEO (Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations) is a set of software modules designed to assist first responders and emergency planners

• Access chemical property and response information,
• Model potential chemical releases,
  
• Display results on a map, and
  
• Manage planning data.

All modules work interactively to display critical information in an easy-to-understand manner. During a response to a chemical release, CAMEO can help decision makers quickly get the information they need for a safe, effective response.

CAMEO Home provides easy access to the CAMEO modules, which include a chemical library, ALOHA, MARPLOT, and the EPCRA databases.

Key Program Features

• Extensive Chemical Database: Search for response recommendations for over 6,000 chemicals. The database also contains over 100,000 chemical synonyms and identification numbers, which can help you identify unknown substances during an incident.
  
• Critical Response Information: Read the Response Information Data Sheets (RIDS) to find out about physical properties, health hazards, air and water hazards, and recommendations for firefighting, first aid, and spill response.
  
• Chemical Reactivity: Add chemicals to the Reactivity Worksheet to predict what hazards could occur if the chemicals mixed.
  
• ALOHA: Estimate threat zones for hazardous chemical releases (toxic gas clouds, fires, and explosions). A threat zone is an area where a hazard (such as toxicity, flammability, thermal radiation, or damaging overpressure) has exceeded a user-specified Level of Concern (LOC).
  
• MARPLOT: Display ALOHA threat zones and other objects on a map. Map objects may include CAMEO Facilities and Special Locations (for example, hospitals and schools where there are populations of special concern).
  
• Other Modules: Manage your Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) data using the other modules (such as Contacts).

CAMEO was developed jointly by NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and it runs on both Macintosh and Windows computers.

CAMEO Chemicals: An Online Version of CAMEO

Now you can access much of the CAMEO information online on the CAMEO Chemicals Web site. You can search the extensive CAMEO chemical database, view the response data sheets, find out how chemicals could react if they mixed, and print customized reports.

To access this free site, select the link titled CAMEO Chemicals at right. (Note: ALOHA, MARPLOT, and the EPCRA modules are not available online.)

CAMEO Chemicals was developed by NOAA in partnership with EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard. The site is maintained by NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration.