Which of the following actions is NOT generally appropriate during a hazardous materials emergency?

Encouraging smoking during a hazardous materials emergency is highly inappropriate and poses significant safety risks. In such situations, there could be flammable or toxic substances present, and smoking could ignite these materials, leading to fires or explosions, vastly worsening the emergency.

On the other hand, notifying authorities is crucial as they can dispatch professionals who are trained to handle hazardous materials safely. Evacuating nearby individuals is essential to protect public safety from exposure to potential harmful substances. Assessing dangers is also an important step to understand the situation and prevent further harm. Therefore, the correct choice, which is to encourage smoking, stands out as it is contrary to the necessary safety protocols in emergencies involving hazardous materials.