w Contact the local poison control center, fire department, or public health board for advice on cleanup.

w  Ask everyone to leave the area.

w  DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner to clean up a mercury spill. A vacuum cleaner will spread the mercury vapors into the air.

w  DO NOT get mercury on your skin.

w  Open windows and doors in the area of the spill to ventilate the area during cleanup.

w  Small amounts of spilled mercury, such as a broken thermometer, can be picked up by carefully rolling the mercury onto a sheet of paper using disposable gloves; put the mercury into an airtight container or bag for disposal.

w  Close the room off from the rest of the house, open the windows and use fans for at least one hour to get the vapors out.

For large amounts of spilled mercury, do not try to clean the spill yourself.  Call the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000 or your local Fire Department.