08/15/2021
New, Illustrated Advice on Sheltering-in-Place Available
Shelter in Place
Do you know where to go when disaster strikes? Sometimes the safest thing to do is to stay inside (shelter-in-place) and take protective actions based on the hazard. Check out FEMA’s new pictograms to learn where to go, what to do, and how long you should shelter-in-place for 10 types of hazards.
The pictograms show how to protect yourself in three types of buildings: manufactured or mobile homes, one- or two-story buildings, and multi-story buildings.
For example, if there’s a chemical hazard in your area, you should go to a small, interior room and protect yourself from the contaminated air by using duct tape to seal doors and vents for a very short period of time. If a tornado warning is issued, you would go to an interior room, and take the added precaution of covering your body to protect yourself from debris. If you are in a mobile home, however, you should always evacuate immediately to a safer, more sturdy building especially if tornadoes and hurricanes are expected to hit your area.