Shelter in Place

In some cases during an emergency, staying home is best. For example, you would likely stay put for disease outbreaks, winter storms, and power and utility outages. With your stocked emergency supply kit, you should be ready if you are advised to stay at home.

• 3-Day Emergency Supply Checklist (pdf)

During an emergency or disaster, individuals may be asked to Shelter-In-Place. This means sealing yourself into a room in your home. This helps keep out contaminated air. Public Officials would let you know (by radio, for example) if sheltering-in-place is needed.

Learn the typical Steps:

• It's best to use a room with a water supply and few or no windows, such as a bedroom with an attached bathroom.
• Get everyone into the room (including pets), and close all windows and doors.
• Use plastic sheeting and duct tape to cover all windows, doors and vents. (You could pre-cut and label to save time.)
• Sheltering-in-place would likely be recommended for only a few hours, but plan for longer.