Shelter in Place and Seal the Room—Be Prepared to Stay

You may need to stay and create a barrier between yourself and outside dangers. For example, if you see large amounts of debris in the air or if local authorities say the air is not safe, you may want to “shelter-in-place.”

This creates a barrier between you and the outside. You need to do some preparations beforehand in order to act.

1. Bring family and pets inside.
   
   
2. Lock doors, close windows, air vents, and fireplace dampers.
   
   
3. Turn off fans, air conditioning, and forced air heating systems.
   
   
4. Bring your emergency supply kit unless it is contaminated.
   
   
5. Go into an interior room with few or no windows if possible.
   
   
6. Seal all windows, doors, and air vents in the room with plastic sheeting and duct tape. If you can, measure and cut the sheeting in advance to save time.
   
   
7. Be ready to use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any contamination.
   
   
8. Local authorities may not be able to provide information and instructions. Watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet (like www.az211.gov) often for official news and instructions.