When and How to Shelter In Place

Preparation Steps

• Identify the best shelter room in your home: an interior room with no or few windows above ground for outdoor chemical or biological threats; the basement for blast or fallout threats — the more mass between you and the outside, the better.
• Pre-position a 3-day supply of water, non-perishable food, medications, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and a first aid kit in or near your designated shelter room.
• Store duct tape and plastic sheeting in an accessible location so you can seal the room quickly when needed.
• Know how to shut off your HVAC system at the main control — this is essential for chemical and biological threats.
• Practice the shelter-in-place procedure with all household members so the steps can be executed quickly under stress.

Immediate Actions

• When authorities issue a shelter-in-place order, go inside the nearest solid building immediately — do not go home first if you are not already there.
• Close and lock all windows and doors.
• Turn off all HVAC systems, fans, and ventilation — these draw outside air into the building.
• Seal all gaps under doors and around windows with duct tape and plastic sheeting, or with damp towels if tape is unavailable.
• Fill the bathtub with water in case the water supply is disrupted.
• Tune to an emergency broadcast station using a battery-powered or hand-crank radio and follow official updates continuously.

When to evacuate instead of sheltering:

• Your building is structurally compromised (fire, blast damage, collapse risk).
• There is an active fire or explosive hazard nearby.
• Authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for your specific zone.
• Remaining in place exposes you to a greater hazard than moving (rising floodwater, structural instability).

What to Avoid

• Do not leave during a shelter-in-place order without official authorization — outdoor exposure to chemical, biological, or radiological threats can be immediately life-threatening.
• Do not open windows or doors for "fresh air" during chemical or biological threat events.
• Avoid making non-emergency phone calls — keep lines available for authorities and emergency services.
• Do not assume the threat has passed because you cannot see, smell, or hear anything unusual — many hazards are invisible and odorless.
• Do not allow children or pets outside until the official all-clear has been issued.

Supplies Needed

• Battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio with NOAA weather alerts.
• 3-day water supply (at least 1 gallon per person per day) in sealed containers.
• 3-day supply of non-perishable food.
• Duct tape and pre-cut plastic sheeting sized to your shelter room's windows and doors.
• Battery-powered flashlights with spare batteries.
• First aid kit.
• All required prescription medications.

Recovery Steps

• Ventilate the shelter room by opening windows for at least 30 minutes once the official all-clear is issued.
• If a chemical or biological threat was the cause, follow any decontamination instructions from authorities before resuming normal activity in the rest of the home.
• Discard any food or water that was outside or in an unsealed container during the event if a contamination threat was involved.
• Document the duration and circumstances of the shelter-in-place for insurance or health monitoring purposes.
• Replenish all supplies used during the event before storing the shelter kit again.