Memo to downtown Calgary merchants: Hang any clothing contaminated with tear gas in the fresh air and wash separately from other items.

It’s one of the tips being offered to the business community prior to the G8 Summit, a gathering of leaders from the world’s most powerful economic countries next month in Kananaskis Country.

A pamphlet being distributed this week in Calgary by a volunteer network on behalf of the summit’s security squad spells out some of the conditions local businesses might encounter in the event of potential “civil disobedience.”

It’s part of an initiative by the Calgary Downtown Association and the Calgary Police Service to equip businesses with as much information as possible before the June 26-27 event, expected to attract 2,500 media representatives from around the world in addition to government delegations and protesters.

The pamphlet, titled “G8 Summit Security Business Advisory,” advises how to react after coming into contact with pepper spray.

“Get into the fresh air and flush affected areas with cold water as soon as possible,” the pamphlet says. “Don’t rub your eyes, as this will cause further irritation.”

Other tips from the pamphlet include:

* Inspect lighting systems and replace burned-out bulbs to assist security efforts in monitoring property.

* Report any graffiti incidents to police, particularly related to the G8 Summit.

* Consider securing or removing street furniture, trash bins, bike racks, vending boxes and outside signage. “Refraining from putting up Stampede decorations, such as hay bales and wood fencing, should also be considered.”

* Consider whether or not you will allow people to use washroom facilities for the purposes of chemical agent decontamination.

“There’s a lot of effort and energy that’s been invested in making sure this summit is both productive and safe,” Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier told a business audience last week.

“We’ve all seen those photographs, those pictures from Seattle, Genoa and Quebec City. Angry mobs, and backdrops of tear gas, burning cars and shattered windows, battling with our security forces.

“Calgarians are justifiably concerned about what may be in store for this city and all of us at the end of June.”

Richard White, executive director of the Calgary Downtown Association, said businesses in the core are being fortified with information to help them prepare for the summit.

A Block Watch-style system has been set up that has assigned one volunteer for each of the approximately 100 blocks in downtown Calgary. The volunteers will make the rounds to collect and share information about the summit and its security preparations.

“I think it’s a legacy going back to the World Petroleum Congress and even Y2K,” White said in an interview.

“Every business should have an emergency plan, not just for these kinds of things, but at any point, something could happen, and it’s prudent for all businesses to make sure their staff understands what to do.”

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Calgary is working with police to prepare security plans for larger business tenants in the downtown. BOMA Calgary will host a secure e-mail service and a bulletin board for the building industry prior to and during the summit.

Police said they plan to use officers on bicycles wherever possible to avoid the type of fence fortifications seen in downtown Calgary during the WPC two years ago, but haven’t ruled out cordoning off parts of downtown if necessary.

“Calgarians can take comfort and be optimistic that this G-8 summit will end the circle of violence that has characterized previous summits,” Bronconnier told about 100 business leaders.

The downtown will be secured, but not locked down, he added.

Bronconnier said the city is encouraging the federal government to have a locally administered program to deal with any compensation claims from merchants.

Const. Tyler Stoutenburg, the police community liaison officer to the Downtown Business Association, says the meeting earlier this week was a “meet and greet” opportunity for volunteers.

“It’s building rapport with the businesses, and being proactive and reaching out and providing a bit of crime prevention information by way of other brochures and pamphlets.”

White said the security pamphlet will help smaller merchants know what steps to take to prepare for G8.

“We want to have lots of eyes and ears on the street,” he added.