Sheltering in place is the act of protecting yourself by sealing your home or car to keep clean air in and bad air out. It is very effective in protecting against plume releases that could impact your residence and is normally used to prevent exposures that could occur during an evacuation. Most New England homes are well insulated and make good safety enclosures for several hours. This is normally enough time to get control of problems related to hazardous material releases.
How to Shelter in Place
- Close and tightly seal all doors and windows (use tape or damp towels around leaky doors and windows).
- Turn off all ventilation equipment such as fans and air conditioning.
- Turn off your furnace.
- Secure wood stoves and shut the damper (make sure the fire is fully out so you do not cause a carbon monoxide buildup in your home before shutting the damper).
- Tune into an EAS broadcast station to keep up to date on the emergency.
Further Information
Check out the
Shelter in Place (PDF) downloadable pamphlet for more information.
Instructions for Being in a Car
If you are in your car and cannot leave the affected area:
- Turn off the engine.
- Close all doors and windows.
- Close all air vents.
- Tune into an EAS radio station to stay informed of the emergency condition.