“Shelter in place” means to stay indoors – in homes, schools, businesses or public buildings during an emergency incident. Sheltering in place may be used when there is little time to react to an incident – where it would be more dangerous to be outside attempting to evacuate than to remain where you are.  Sheltering in place may be called for by public officials who determine that a threat condition is temporary, and will disperse or diminish within a few hours at most.

• If you are indoors, stay inside.
• Go indoors immediately if you are outside. If there are contaminants, you can provide a minimal amount of protection by covering your mouth and nose with a damp cloth. If you have to gather up family members protect your body as much as possible.
• If you have been exposed to contaminants, remove contaminated clothing and place in sealed plastic trash bags. Quickly rinse your eyes and exposed skin thoroughly with water.  Shower if possible.  Seek medical assistance as soon as it is safe to do so.
• Bring pets inside, if you can safely do so. Pet fur can capture significant quantities of contaminants.
• Locate and keep your Emergency Evacuation Kit with you.
• Close all windows and doors to the outside.
• Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems. Close the fireplace damper.
• Go to an above-ground room (not the basement, unless instructed to do so by local officials) with the fewest windows and doors. An interior room is the best. A bedroom with an adjoining bath is a good choice. Basement rooms should not be used during chemical emergencies; chemical agents may be heavier than air.  Basement rooms are best to use following nuclear releases.
• Wet some towels and jam them in the crack under the doors.
• Seal with duct tape and plastic sheeting or garbage bags around doors, windows, heat registers, exhaust fans or vents, cracks and openings in the walls, floors, and ceilings, light fixtures, fans, plumbing, electrical outlets, door handles and even locks.
• If there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds or curtains. To avoid injury, stay away from the windows. Lie flat on the floor in a protected area and cover your eyes.

Stay in the room and listen to your local radio station until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate.  It is important to remember that sealing a room is only a temporary protective measure. You must seal the room as tightly as possible to prevent even small quantities of the agent from seeping into the room. If the agent cannot cross the barrier, however, oxygen will not be able to penetrate it either. Be aware that you will run out of oxygen if you stay in a sealed room too long.