Disaster Guide: Disaster Supplies Kit

Sheltering may take many forms since it depends on the type of disaster or situation. There may be times where you and your family may need to “shelter-in-place” meaning you stay put wherever you are (home, school, work or car) until wicked weather passes or local authorities say it’s okay to come out. Or, in some cases, your family may have to leave your home and go to a shelter or mass care facility determined by local officials (like a high school gym or convention center.)

For example, during a tornado warning you should seek shelter in a basement or an inside room away from windows. However, during a hazardous spill or chemical attack you should take shelter in a room above ground and possibly seal off room to keep gas or fumes from coming in. Or if there’s a wildfire nearby or a hurricane brewing along the Coast your family may need to evacuate your home.

Some things you should talk about in advance with family members include:

Make a pla n - Develop a Family Emergency Plan and Disaster Supplies Kits for home, car and office I locker (covered on previous pages). Make sure you include important paperwork, money, etc.

Pick safe rooms - Talk about which room would be best for each type of disaster that may occur where you live. (Section 2 covers things to think about in do before most natural and man-made disasters with shelter tips.)

Where would we go - Decide in advance where you would go in case you can’t return home for weeks or months... or forever. If your home is damaged or destroyed or you’re forced to leave your home due to on-going threats (like mudslides or flooding), you will need to find temporary or permanent living quarters. This could mean staying in a public shelter or hotel, living with friends or relatives, or renting a home or apartment in the middle of all the chaos, so discuss several options now. Then, write down those options and share them with relatives and friends.

Away from home - Learn “shelter-in-place” procedures at work and school so everyone knows what to expect for each type of disaster or incident.

Also review TIPS ON RECOVERING FROM A DISASTER and TIPS ON SHELTER LIVING DURING OR AFTER AN EMERGENCY at the end of Section 2.

By planning ahead, your family will know where to go and what to do which can help reduce some fear and anxiety that surrounds a disaster.

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