Preparing A Safe Shelter-In-Place Room
An essential component of any shelter-in-place plan is determining and preparing appropriate shelter-in-place locations long before they are needed.
- Select interior rooms above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents. The room should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit in. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary.
- It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room(s) you select. Cellular equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.
- Equip room(s) with proper disaster supplies, such as bottled water, battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, and plastic garbage bags.
- Because information will most likely be provided on television and radio, it is important to have a functioning TV and/or radio in rooms designated for sheltering-in-place.
- Provide means of communication among all rooms where people will be sheltering-in-place.
- Prepare a message for your voice mail to indicate that the school is closed and students and staff are remaining until authorities advise that it is safe to leave.
