Book excerpt: The Common Sense Dictionary for First Responders is a glossary of terms that will be useful to all responders to emergency situations. Section I includes terms common in matters relating to hazardous materials, chemistry, the environment, firefighting, EMS, protective clothing, radioactivity, chemical warfare agents, and other emergency topics. Section II is a comprehensive list of abbreviations and acronyms that relate to the topics covered in the first section. Features and benefits: - Aids in the training and education of emergency responders. - Provides a reference for defining words used by emergency responders. - Promotes understanding between and among the various types and levels of emergency responders, governmental agencies, and the private sector. - Valuable reference and training tool for firefighters, hazmat team members, fire department officers, EMS personnel, rescue workers, military personnel and officers, industrial safety team members, safety managers, EPA and OSHA inspectors, health officers, civil support team members, instructors at federal, state and local fire academies, insurance underwriters, fire investigators, city council members, federal, state and local legislators, activist groups, and industry trade groups.