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Shelter in place
What is Shelter in Place?
Devastating acts, such as the
terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, have left
many concerned about the possibility of future incidents in the United
States and their potential impact. They have raised uncertainty about
what might happen next, increasing stress levels. Nevertheless, there are
things you can do to prepare for the unexpected and reduce the stress
that you may feel now and later should another emergency arise. Taking
preparatory action can reassure you and your children that you can exert
a measure of control even in the face of such events.
What You Can Do to Prepare
Finding out what can happen is the
first step. Once you have determined the events possible and their
potential in your community, it is important that you discuss them with
your family or household. Develop a disaster plan together.
1. Create an emergency communications
plan.
Choose an out-of-town contact your family or household will call or
e-mail to check on each other should a disaster occur. Your selected
contact should live far enough away that they would be unlikely to be
directly affected by the same event, and they should know they are the
chosen contact. Make sure every household member has that contact's, and
each other's, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers (home, work, pager
and cell). Leave these contact numbers at your children's schools, if you
have children, and at your workplace. Your family should know that if
telephones are not working, they need to be patient and try again later
or try e-mail. Many people flood the telephone lines when emergencies
happen but e-mail can sometimes get through when calls don't.
2. Establish a meeting place.
Having a predetermined meeting place away from your home will save time
and minimize confusion should your home be affected or the area
evacuated. You may even want to make arrangements to stay with a family
member or friend in case of an emergency. Be sure to include any pets in
these plans, since pets are not permitted in shelters and some hotels
will not accept them.
3. Assemble a disaster supplies kit.
If you need to evacuate your home or are asked to "shelter in
place," having some essential supplies on hand will make you and
your family more comfortable. Prepare a disaster supplies kit in an
easy-to-carry container such as a duffel bag or small plastic trash can.
Include "special needs" items for any member of your household
(infant formula or items for people with disabilities or older people),
first aid supplies (including prescription medications), a change of
clothing for each household member, a sleeping bag or bedroll for each, a
battery powered radio or television and extra batteries, food, bottled
water and tools. It is also a good idea to include some cash and copies
of important family documents (birth certificates, passports and
licenses) in your kit.
Copies of essential documents-like
powers of attorney, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies,
life insurance beneficiary designations and a copy of your will-should
also be kept in a safe location outside your home. A safe deposit box or
the home of a friend or family member who lives out of town is a good
choice.
For more complete instructions, ask
your local Red Cross chapter for the brochure titled Your Family Disaster
Supplies Kit (stock number A4463).
4. Check on the school emergency plan
of any school-age children you may have.
You need to know if they will they keep children at school until a parent
or designated adult can pick them up or send them home on their own. Be
sure that the school has updated information about how to reach parents
and responsible caregivers to arrange for pickup. And, ask what type of
authorization the school may require to release a child to someone you
designate, if you are not able to pick up your child. During times of
emergency the school telephones may be overwhelmed with calls.
For more information on putting
together a disaster plan, request a copy of the brochure titled Your
Family Disaster Plan (A4466) from your local American Red Cross chapter.
You may also want to request a copy of Before Disaster Strikes...How to
Make Sure You're Financially Prepared (A5075) for specific information on
what you can do now to protect your assets.
If Disaster Strikes
- Remain calm and be patient.
- Follow the advice of local emergency
officials.
- Listen to your radio or television for
news and instructions.
- If the disaster occurs near you, check for
injuries. Give first aid and get help for seriously injured people.
- If the disaster occurs near your home
while you are there, check for damage using a flashlight. Do not
light matches or candles or turn on electrical switches. Check for
fires, fire hazards and other household hazards. Sniff for gas
leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a
leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone
outside quickly.
- Shut off any other damaged utilities.
- Confine or secure your pets.
- Call your family contact—do not use the
telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.
- Check on your neighbors, especially those
who are elderly or disabled.
A Word on What Could Happen
As we learned from the events of
September 11, 2001, the following things can happen after a terrorist
attack:
- There can be significant numbers of
casualties and/or damage to buildings and the infrastructure. So
employers need up-to-date information about any medical needs you
may have and on how to contact your designated beneficiaries.
- Heavy law enforcement involvement at
local, state and federal levels follows a terrorist attack due to
the event's criminal nature.
- Health and mental health resources in the
affected communities can be strained to their limits, maybe even
overwhelmed.
- Extensive media coverage, strong public
fear and international implications and consequences can continue
for a prolonged period.
- Workplaces and schools may be closed, and
there may be restrictions on domestic and international travel.
- You and your family or household may have
to evacuate an area, avoiding roads blocked for your safety.
- Clean-up may take many months.
Evacuation
If local authorities ask you to leave your home, they have a good reason
to make this request, and you should heed the advice immediately. Listen
to your radio or television and follow the instructions of local
emergency officials and keep these simple tips in mind-
• Wear long-sleeved
shirts, long pants and sturdy shoes so you can be protected as much as
possible.
• Take your disaster
supplies kit.
• Take your pets with you;
do not leave them behind. Because pets are not permitted in public
shelters, follow your plan to go to a relative''s or friend's home, or
find a "pet-friendly" hotel.
• Lock your home.
• Use travel routes
specified by local authorities—don't use shortcuts because certain areas
may be impassable or dangerous.
• Stay away from downed
power lines.
Listen to local authorities.
Your local authorities will provide you with the most accurate
information specific to an event in your area. Staying tuned to local
radio and television, and following their instructions is your safest
choice.
If you're sure you have time:
- Call your family contact to tell them
where you are going and when you expect to arrive.
- Shut off water and electricity before
leaving, if instructed to do so. Leave natural gas service ON unless
local officials advise you otherwise. You may need gas for heating
and cooking, and only a professional can restore gas service in your
home once it's been turned off. In a disaster situation it could
take weeks for a professional to respond.
Shelter-in-place Fact Sheet
If you are advised by local officials to "shelter in place,"
what they mean is for you to remain inside your home or office and
protect yourself there. Close and lock all windows and exterior doors.
Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems. Close the
fireplace damper. Get your disaster supplies kit, and make sure the radio
is working. Go to an interior room without windows that''s above ground
level. In the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is
preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air, and may seep into
basements even if the windows are closed. Using duct tape, seal all
cracks around the door and any vents into the room. Keep listening to
your radio or television until you are told all is safe or you are told to
evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at
greatest risk in your community.
Additional Positive Steps You Can Take
Raw, unedited footage of terrorism events and people's reaction to those
events can be very upsetting, especially to children. We do not recommend
that children watch television news reports about such events, especially
if the news reports show images over and over again about the same
incident. Young children do not realize that it is repeated video
footage, and think the event is happening again and again. Adults may
also need to give themselves a break from watching disturbing footage.
However, listening to local radio and television reports will provide you
with the most accurate information from responsible governmental
authorities on what's happening and what actions you will need to take.
So you may want to make some arrangements to take turns listening to the
news with other adult members of your household.
Another useful preparation includes
learning some basic first aid. To enroll in a first aid and AED/CPR
course, contact your local American Red Cross chapter. In an emergency
situation, you need to tend to your own well-being first and then
consider first aid for others immediately around you, including possibly
assisting injured people to evacuate a building if necessary.
People who may have come into contact
with a biological or chemical agent may need to go through a
decontamination procedure and receive medical attention. Listen to the
advice of local officials on the radio or television to determine what
steps you will need to take to protect yourself and your family. As
emergency services will likely be overwhelmed, only call 9-1-1 about
life-threatening emergencies.
First Aid Primer
If you encounter someone who is injured, apply the emergency action
steps: Check-Call-Care. Check the scene to make sure it is safe
for you to approach. Then check the victim for unconsciousness and
life-threatening conditions. Someone who has a life-threatening condition,
such as not breathing or severe bleeding, requires immediate care by
trained responders and may require treatment by medical professionals. Call
out for help. There are some steps that you can take, however, to care
for someone who is hurt, but whose injuries are not life threatening.
Control Bleeding
- Cover the wound with a dressing, and press
firmly against the wound (direct pressure).
- Elevate the injured area above the level
of the heart if you do not suspect that the victim has a broken
bone.
- Cover the dressing with a roller bandage.
- If the bleeding does not stop:
- Apply additional dressings and bandages.
- Use a pressure point to squeeze the
artery against the bone.
- Provide care for shock.
Care for Shock
- Keep the victim from getting chilled or
overheated.
- Elevate the legs about 12 inches (if
broken bones are not suspected).
- Do not give food or drink to the victim.
Tend Burns
- Stop the burning by cooling the burn with
large amounts of water.
- Cover the burn with dry, clean dressings
or cloth.
Care for Injuries to Muscles, Bones
and Joints
- Rest the injured part.
- Apply ice or a cold pack to control
swelling and reduce pain.
- Avoid any movement or activity that causes
pain.
- If you must move the victim because the
scene is becoming unsafe, try to immobilize the injured part to keep
it from moving.
Be Aware of Biological/Radiological
Exposure
- Listen to local radio and television
reports for the most accurate information from responsible
governmental and medical authorities on what's happening and what
actions you will need to take. The Web sites referenced at the end
of this brochure can give you more information on how to protect
yourself from exposure to biological or radiological hazards.
Reduce Any Care Risks
The risk of getting a disease while giving first aid is extremely rare.
However, to reduce the risk even further:
- Avoid direct contact with blood and other
body fluids.
- Use protective equipment, such as
disposable gloves and breathing barriers.
- Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and
water immediately after giving care.
It is important to be prepared for an
emergency and to know how to give emergency care.
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