what are the hazardous materials on Lantau, Lamma, and Hong Kong Islands?
OBJECTIVE: Hazmat disaster preparedness is critical, especially as Hong Kong prepares for major international events, such as the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games. No published medical study describes the identities and quantities of hazardous materials (HMs) in Hong Kong and lists what antidotes are needed for these dangerous goods (DGs). This study describes what HMs are most common in Hong Kong to prioritize disaster preparedness and training. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. SETTING: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, specifically Lantau, Lamma, and Hong Kong Islands. SAMPLE: The Hong Kong Fire Services Department (HKFSD) Dangerous Goods Database (DGD). INTERVENTIONS: Descriptive statistical analyses with Stata 9.2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Identifying and quantifying HMs in the HKFSD DGD. RESULTS: Most HMs do not have antidotes. The most common HMs with recognized antidotes are carbon monoxide, methylene chloride, fluorides, cyanides, nitriles, hydrazine, methano