Shelter-in-Place

Shelter-in-place is the practice of going or remaining indoors during severe weather, the release of an airborne hazardous material, or other emergency event. Unless the substance is flammable, like natural gas, emergency response personnel recommend that you initially stay indoors, until instructions are provided to leave. Your building can protect you.

How to Shelter-in-Place:

• Go indoors and stay there
• Close all outside doors and every door inside the building
• Close all windows
• Seal the cracks around doorways with wide tape and a rolled damp towel at the floor space
• Tape a piece of plastic over the window to seal it
• Do not use bathroom or kitchen vents
• Set thermostats, so air conditioners, furnaces and hot water heaters will not come on
• Do not use fireplaces – close all dampers
• Do not operate clothes dryers
• Shelter in an inside room away from windows and doors, if possible
• Stay tuned to local television or radio stations for information
• Do not leave the building until told to do so
• Do not use the telephone; you may tie up the phone lines