Sheltering In Place (SIP)

One of the instructions you may be given in an emergency where hazardous materials may have been released into the atmosphere 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. If you are told to shelter-in-place, follow the instructions provided in this Fact Sheet.

Why You Might Need to Shelter-in-Place

Chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment. Should this 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 instructions of local authorities and know what to do if they advise you to shelter-in-place.

At Home

• Identify a room with few doors or windows to shelter in place. Ideally the room should allow at least 10 square feet per person.
• When officials advise you to shelter in place, act quickly and follow instructions. Your main objective should be to get to a safe indoor location. You will likely be in your "safe room" for no more than a few hours. Once inside:
• If there is time, close and lock all windows and doors, close fireplace dampers.
• Turn off ventilation systems.
• Make sure you have an Emergency Supply Kit and Go Bag.
• Tune in to local radio or TV stations to receive updates from emergency officials.
• Only seal doors and windows when instructed to do so by emergency officials.
• If your children are at school, do not pick them up until the danger has passed and shelter-in-place orders have been lifted. School officials have shelter-in-place procedures. You will only endanger yourself by leaving a safe area during the emergency.

At Work

During an emergency at your worksite, you may be have to shelter in place (A shelter in place policy should be an integral part of a larger evacuation and emergency action plan for the worksite facility.)

• Identify shelter space in the facility.
• Select space(s) with the fewest windows or vents since a reason why a shelter in place has been called for is that there is a contaminant in the outdoors atmosphere. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary but don't lose contact with personnel. It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room(s) to maintain contact with local emergency contacts. Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.
• Establish procedures for getting people to shelter.
• An alarm or notification system that explains that people are to move to a designated area and not leave the building account for everyone.
• If there are any customers, clients or visitors in the building, provide for them in the plan.
• Collateral actions: If the threat is an airborne hazard secure exterior doors and windows, air vents and heat dampers to prevent infiltration of the contaminant. Employees familiar with building's mechanical systems should turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems and should check key building maintenance systems.
• Turn on call-forwarding or telephone answering systems or computers services and change the recording/message to state that the business is closed, and that staff and visitors are remaining in the building until authorities advise it is safe to leave.
• Determine what equipment should be shut down.
• Use the planning phase to review the functioning of key building systems during an emergency:
  • Fire protection systems
  • Lightning protection systems
  • Heating systems
  • Mechanical systems
  • Automatic shutoffs
  • Emergency power generation

Needs during the emergency

• In general sheltering in place is designed for short period of the time (it is not what we mean when we evacuate to a designated public shelter during a disaster for example. But you may want to ensure access to some key items such as water, food and medical supplies and toilet facilities.
• Keep a list of everyone in the room, (and if possible any medical conditions that warrant special attention) and notify local emergency response contacts to report who is in the room.
• You may need to settle on how people will contact family members outside the event. 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.
• Designate Shelter monitors, staff designated to move people to the shelter areas; check the building for stragglers, check that appliances or unessential equipment is shut off, leave the shelter areas to retrieve some items.
• Maintain contact with local emergency response agencies. There should be a prearranged procures for communication. During a major event local response personnel will be busy so the better you understand the general emergency preparedness plan for the area and more you participate in the plan and drills the more effective your facility plan.
• If you lose power and have gasoline powered generators remember they pose a deadly invisible hazard - carbon monoxide poisoning. Operate any power equipment outdoors will be.

To learn more about Emergency Supply Kits and other measures you can take before an emergency, see our Prepare section.

A Practical Guide to Sheltering In Place