Shelter-in-Place
One of the instructions that an incident commander may give during an emergency is to shelter-in-place. This is a precaution aimed to keep people safe while remaining indoors.  This instruction is usually given to protect people from a release of hazardous materials, toxic smoke or other potential threat where evacuation is not practical or would increase the risk of exposure. Evacuation of specific areas may be ordered, while shelter in place instructions may be directed in other areas based on circumstances and location. 

Shelter-in-place means selecting an interior room with no or few windows and taking refuge there. It does not mean sealing off your entire home or office building. If you are told to shelter-in-place:

At Home:

• Close and lock all windows and exterior doors and close window coverings.
• Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems and close the fireplace damper.
• Get your family disaster supply kit and make sure the AM radio is working.
• Go to an interior room preferably without windows and above ground level.
• Bring your pets with you, and be sure to bring their food and water supplies.
• Have a phone in the room you select, preferably one that will receive a reverse 9-1-1 call based on the address where you are.  Call your contact and let them know your status.
• Use duct tape and plastic sheeting to seal cracks around the door and vents in the room.
• Listen to your radio, television or internet news until you are told all is safe or to evacuate.
• Shelter-in-place orders are generally for a short duration:  hours not days.

At Work:

• Close the business and bring everyone inside. Shut and lock the door(s).
• If there are customers, clients, or visitors in the building, provide for their safety by asking them to stay. When directions are given to shelter-in-place, it is important that everyone take those steps immediately where they are, and not drive or walk outdoors.
• Ask employees, customers, clients, and visitors to call their emergency contact to let them know where they are and the status.
• Close and lock all windows, exterior doors, and any other openings to the outside.
• Close the window shades, blinds, or curtains.
• Have employees familiar with the building’s 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.)
• Gather essential disaster supplies, such as food, bottled water, battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, duct tape and, plastic sheeting.
• Select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone.
• Have a phone in the room you select, preferably one that will receive a reverse 9-1-1 call based on the address where you are.
• Use duct tape and plastic sheeting to seal cracks around the door and vents in the room.

Communicating Shelter-in-Place:
Emergency responders will determine the best approach for evacuation and shelter-in-place based on the circumstances of the emergency.  “Reverse 9-1-1” will be used to call the residents in the affected area with specific instructions based on location.  (Cell phones can be registered to receive the emergency phone call at www.scr911.org.)  The news media will also broadcast updated information as it is available. The emergency broadcast radio station is KSCO, AM 1080.

A “Reverse 9-1-1” call will be used to let the residents in the affected area know when the situation has been stabilized or with any changes.  Again, the intent of a shelter-in-place order is to protect people by staying inside to avoid exposure and would typically be for less than a day in duration.

Additional information can be found at the following web sites:

www.ready.gov/america/makeaplan/stayingput.html

www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/shelterinplace.pdf