Shelter in Place

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Shelter in Place

• Adapted and used by permission from Tina Wood,
  Chair of Emergency Services, Northern Vermont
  Chapter American Red Cross

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What is Shelter in Place?

• One of the instructions you may be given in an
  emergency is to shelter-in-place. This is a
  precaution aimed to keep you safe while remaining
  indoors. (This is not the same thing as going to
  a shelter in case of a storm).
• Shelter-in-place means selecting a small,
  interior room, with no or few windows, and taking
  refuge there. It does not mean sealing off your
  entire home or office building.

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Why shelter in place?

• Likely
• Severe weather (tornado, hail, etc.)
• Civil unrest
• Accidental chemical release due to industrial or
  vehicle accident
• Controlled release of personnel for an orderly
  evacuation from the area
• Unlikely
• Biological, chemical, radiological attack
• Separate Radiological Response Procedures

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Shelter in Place

• Should any of the events occur, information will
  be provided by local authorities on television
  and radio stations on how to protect you and your
  family.
• Because information will most likely be provided
  on television and radio, it is important to keep
  a TV or radio on, even during the workday.
• The important thing is for you to follow the
  instructions of local authorities and know what
  to do if they advise you to shelter-in-place.

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How to shelter in place

• At home
• 1. Close and lock all windows and exterior
  doors. 2. If you are told there is danger of
  explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or
  curtains. 3. Turn off all fans, heating and
  air conditioning systems. 4. Close the
  fireplace damper. 5. Get your family disaster
  supplies kit and make sure the radio is working.
  6. Go to an interior room without windows
  that's above ground level. In the case of a
  chemical threat, an above-ground location is
  preferable because some chemicals are heavier
  than air, and may seep into basements even if the
  windows are closed.

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How to shelter in place continued

• 7. Bring your pets with you, and be sure to
  bring additional food and water supplies for
  them.
• 8. It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone
  in the room you select. Call your emergency
  contact and have the phone available if you need
  to report a life-threatening condition. 9.
  Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed
  or damaged during an emergency. 10. Use duct
  tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food
  wrap) to seal all cracks around the door and any
  vents into the room - only if the situation
  requires. 11. Keep listening to your radio or
  television until you are told all is safe or you
  are told to evacuate. Local officials may call
  for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk
  in your community.

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How to shelter in place

• At work
• 1. Close the business
• 2. If there are customers, clients, or visitors
  in the building, provide for their safety by
  asking them to stay not leave.
• 3. When authorities provide directions to
  shelter in place, they want everyone to take
  those steps now, where they are, and not drive or
  walk outdoors. 4. Unless there is an imminent
  threat, ask employees, customers, clients, and
  visitors to call their emergency contact to let
  them know where they are and that they are safe.
  5. Turn on call-forwarding or alternative
  telephone answering systems or services. If the
  business has voice mail or an automated
  attendant, change the recording to indicate that
  the business is closed, and that staff and
  visitors are remaining in the building until
  authorities advise it is safe to leave.

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How to shelter in place continued

• 6. Close and lock all windows, exterior doors,
  and any other openings to the outside.
• 7. If you are told there is danger of
  explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or
  curtains.
• 8. Have employees familiar with your buildings
  mechanical systems turn off all fans, heating and
  air conditioning systems. Some systems
  automatically provide for exchange of inside air
  with outside air these systems, in particular,
  need to be turned off, sealed, or disabled.
• 9. Gather essential disaster supplies, such as
  nonperishable food, bottled water, battery
  powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights,
  batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting, and
  plastic garbage bags. Do you Have these at your
  place of employment?
• 10. Select interior room(s) above the ground
  floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The
  room(s) should have adequate space for everyone
  to be able to sit in.

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How to shelter in place continued

• 11. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several
  rooms if necessary. Large storage closets,
  utility rooms, copy, and conference rooms work
  well.
• 12. Avoid selecting a room with mechanical
  equipment such as blowers or pipes. These rooms
  may not be able to be sealed from the outside due
  to venting.
• 13. Rooms should have a hard wired phone
  available to call emergency contacts or to report
  life threatening conditions.
• 14. Cellular phone equipment may be overwhelmed
  or damaged in an emergency.
• 15. Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (2-4
  mil) to seal all cracks around the door(s) and
  any vents into the room only if the situation
  requires this. Do you currently have adequate
  materials for sheeting ?
• 16. Bring everyone into the room(s) and shut
  and lock the door(s).

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How to shelter in place continued

• 17. Write down the names of everyone in the
  room and call your business designated emergency
  contact to report who is in the room with you,
  and their affiliation with your business
  (employee, client, customer).
• 18. Keep listening to the radio or television
  until you are told all is safe or you are told to
  evacuate.
• 19. Local officials may call for evacuation in
  specific areas at greatest risk in your community.

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How to shelter in place

• At School
• 1. Activate the schools emergency plan and
  follow reverse evacuation procedures to bring
  students, faculty, and staff indoors.
• 2. If there are visitors in the building,
  provide for their safety by asking them to stay,
  not leave.
• 3. When authorities provide directions to
  shelter in place, they want everyone to take
  those steps now, where they are, and not drive or
  walk outdoors.
• 4. Provide for answering telephone inquiries
  from concerned parents by having at least one
  telephone with the schools listed telephone
  number available in the room selected to provide
  shelter for the school secretary or person
  designated to answer these calls. This room
  should also be sealed. 5. There should be a way
  to communicate between all rooms being used to
  shelter in place within the school (intercom,
  etc.).

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How to shelter in place continued

• 6. Ideally, provide for a way to make
  announcements over the school-wide public address
  system from the room where the top school
  official takes shelter.
• 7. If children have cell phones, allow them to
  use them to call a parent or guardian to let them
  know that they have been asked to remain in
  school until further notice, and that they are
  safe.
• 8. If the school has voice mail or an automated
  attendant, change the recording to indicate that
  the school is closed, students and staff are
  remaining in the building until authorities
  advise that it is safe to leave.
• 9. Provide directions to close and lock all
  windows, exterior doors, and any other openings
  to the outside.
• 10. If you are told there is a danger of
  explosion, window blinds, shades, or curtains be
  closed.

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How to shelter in place continued

• 11. Have staff familiar with your buildings
  mechanical systems turn off all fans, heating,
  and air conditioning systems. Some systems
  automatically provide for exchange of inside air
  with outside air these systems need to be turned
  off, sealed, or disabled.
• 12. Gather essential disaster supplies such as
  nonperishable food, bottled water, battery
  powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights,
  batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting, and
  plastic garbage bags. Where is this kept in your
  school?
• 13. Rooms should have a hard wired phone
  available to call emergency contacts or to report
  life threatening conditions.
• 14. Large, interior rooms above the ground
  floor should be used to shelter in place. Large
  storage closets, utility rooms, meeting rooms,
  even a gymnasium without exterior windows will
  work well.
• 15. Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (2-4
  mil) to seal all cracks around the door(s) and
  any vents into the room only if the situation
  requires this.
• 16. Bring everyone into the room(s) and shut
  and lock the door(s).

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How to shelter in place continued

• 17. Write down the names of everyone in the
  room.
• 18. Listen for an official announcement from
  school officials over the public address system
  and stay in the designated room until you are
  told that all is safe or to evacuate.
• 19. Local officials may call for evacuation in
  specific areas at greatest risk in your
  community.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Will anyone tell me to stay in my home or leave
  the area?
• Yes, local government officials will provide
  instructions on the radio and television. Listen
  to their advice and follow their instructions.
• If local government officials advise evacuating
  the area, the Red Cross will open shelters in
  locations that will be safe.
• Be careful not to confuse an evacuation shelter
  with a room in a home or building that is
  selected to seal up and use to shelter in place.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• How many disaster supply kits should I have
  prepared?
• It is recommended that you stock a complete kit
  to meet the needs of everyone in your home. The
  kit should also be packed and ready to take with
  you in the event you are advised to evacuate.
• You should also have a small disaster supplies
  kit in each vehicle, as well as supplies at your
  workplace.
• Sometimes it is easier to create one kit for each
  person in your home so the container is smaller
  and easier to carry. The amount of contents
  should remain the same, in total, for everyone in
  your home.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What about my pets?
• How much should I add to my disaster supplies kit
  for them?
• Store enough supplies for your pets needs for at
  least three days, including food, water, and
  related items.

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Successful Examples

• Pensacola, FL
• November 9, 1977
• A railroad tank car carrying anhydrous ammonia
  derailed and was punctured resulting in the
  release of ammonia vapors.
• Two deaths and forty six injuries were reported
  for those who were evacuated. In six houses that
  were close to release site, there was no time to
  evacuate.
• Those residents closed their windows and doors
  and stuffed towels under doors and around windows
  to prevent vapors from entering. The NTSB
  concluded that a breathable and survivable
  atmosphere was maintained in those homes where
  the residents were not harmed.

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Successful Examples

• Nitro, WV
• December 5, 1995
• A process vessel at a FMC chemical plant over
  pressurized and released a phosphorus chloride
  compound into the diked area around the vessel.
• In the rain, a hydrochloric acid cloud was formed
  which drifted offsite into an adjacent office and
  commercial area.
• More than eight hundred employees of a
  neighboring chemical plant and several offices
  sheltered in place while the plume passed over
  the area. No injuries were reported.
• Businesses in the area had been trained in
  sheltering for employees.

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Shelter in Place

• Local officials on the scene are the best source
  of information for your particular situation.
  Following their instructions during and after
  emergencies regarding sheltering, food, water,
  and clean up methods is your safest choice.
• Remember that instructions to shelter in place
  are usually provided for a duration of a few
  hours, not days or weeks.

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Disaster Supply Kit

• What to include
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food.
• Three-day supply of water - one gallon of water
  per person, per day.
• Portable, battery-powered radio or television and
  extra batteries.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• First aid kit and manual.
• Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes
  and toilet paper).
• Matches and waterproof container.
• Whistle.
• Extra clothing.
• Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils,
  including a can opener.
• Photocopies of credit and identification cards.
• Cash and coins.
• Special needs items, such as prescription
  medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions,
  and hearing aid batteries.
• Items for infants, such as formula, diapers,
  bottles, and pacifiers.
• Other items to meet your needs.

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Resources

• American Red Cross
• www.redcross.org
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• www.fema.gov
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• www.osha.gov
• United States Department of Agriculture
• www.usda.gov