1. From the bottom of the homepage - enter in the zip code you reside in or click the A-Z listing of impoundments. Choose whichever option is quickest and easiest for you.
2. Mouse over and click on the impoundment name.
3. Mouse over and click on "View Quick Emergency Plan"
4. Locate the Evacuation Information section of the plan for step-by-step instructions to take during an evacuation.

Impoundment searching is available on both the top navigation bar and the bottom of the home page. (See Illustration 1.) Users may choose from the state drop down box, enter in their zip code, or type in the county they reside in. Click the "Search" button to view results.

In addition to searching by state, county and zip code there is also a list of links to view impoundments by County, MSHA ID, Company or A-Z listing.

Keyword Search
Use the keyword search feature to search by part of an impoundment name. For example, if the impoundment contains the word "fork," type it in the text box and click "Search." Any results will be listed on the screen.

Illustration 1: Home Page

Using the Map (Illustration 2)
Once an impoundment is located the impoundment details page appears. This page includes a map of the impoundment and surrounding areas.

Zoom In
Make sure the "Zoom In" option button at the bottom of the map is selected.
To zoom in on a specific area of the map, place the mouse over the area to zoom in on. Click the mouse once. The more times the mouse is clicked the more detailed the map will become. Use the mouse to click on white arrows bordering the map (north, south, east, west). This moves the map in the direction selected.

Zoom Out:
Make sure the "Zoom Out" option button at the bottom of the map is selected. To zoom out on the map, place the mouse over the area to zoom out on. Click the mouse once. The more times the mouse is clicked the less detailed the map will become.

Viewing Legend:
To see a list of icons that are used on the map, click the "Display Legend" link at the bottom of the map. This will give an explanation of icons used on the map.

Center Map
Use this option to center a specific section of the map. Click the option and place the mouse over the area to be centered. Click the mouse button once. The selected area will now be centered on the map.

Viewing Impoundment Details:
Within the map, click on the Green Square to select a particular impoundment. The details for the impoundment will appear in the column to the right of the map.

Illustration 2: Using the Map

Each impoundment will have details located to the left of the map. This section will also list contact information (along with phone numbers) for the impoundment. Below the contact information is more detailed information for each impoundment.

Detailed Information (Illustration 3)
Quick Emergency Plan:
This plan consists of emergency phone numbers to contact in the event of an impoundment failure. The plan also includes steps to take during an evacuation, actions and responsibilities of the first responders and important contact phone numbers.

Detailed Emergency Plan
This plan is a document created by the coal company owning the impoundment. The purpose of the plan is to provide monitoring guidelines for the impoundment under various conditions so that an emergency situation may be properly noted and reported to agencies and persons affected. The plan provides information such as type and location of impoundment, phone numbers of agencies to be notified of an alert, as well as notification and evacuation plan for residents. Click on "View Detailed Emergency Plan" to download the PDF file (Adobe Reader required).

Illustration 3: Detailed Information

Impoundment Classes
To view descriptions of the impoundment classifications, click Classes under "About Impoundments" on the left navigation bar.

Glossary of Terms
To view a listing of terms used throughout this site, click Glossary under "References" on the left navigation bar.