Skip to Main Content View Text-Only

The City of Portland, Oregon

Fire & Rescue

Always Ready, Always There

Phone: 503-823-3700

Fax: 503-823-3710

55 SW Ash Street, Portland, OR 97204

More Contact Info

Know When and How to Shelter-in-Place

7 Comments

In an emergency, local officials may tell you to seek safe shelter or “shelter-in-place.”  Shelter-in-place means to stay inside or go in the nearest building when a disaster strikes.  It is a way for you to stay as safe as possible until the emergency is over. If you are told to shelter-in-place, follow the steps below to keep you and your family safe during an emergency. 

  1. Shelter: Go inside your home or the nearest building. Choose an inside room with as few windows or doors as possible. Bring in pets, if possible.
  2. Shut: Shut and lock all windows and doors to create a better seal. Turn off the heater or air conditioner. Make sure the fireplace damper and all ventilation fans are closed. If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds or curtains.
  3. Listen: Local officials are your best source of information. Keep listening to your radio or television until you are told it is safe to leave the shelter or to evacuate. When you leave the shelter, follow instructions from local officials to avoid any harmful materials outside. Do not use the telephone unless you have a life-threatening condition to keep lines free for emergency responders.

Additional Information on Shelter-In-Place

There are three types of emergencies where you may be told to shelter-in-place: Chemical, Radiological and Biological Emergencies. Keep the tips below in mind for each type of emergency.

 

  1. Chemical: A chemical emergency can happen anywhere harmful materials are manufactured, stored or shipped including chemical plants, highways, railways and storage containers at local swimming pools. In the case of a chemical emergency, an above-ground shelter-in-place is better because some chemicals are heavier than air and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed. If your eyes are watering, your skin is stinging and you are having trouble breathing, you may have been exposed to a chemical. If possible, take a shower with warm water and soap, change your clothes and put what you were wearing in a plastic bag. Any clothing that needs to be pulled over the head should be cut off instead. After a chemical emergency, open all doors and windows, turn on your heater or air conditioner to ventilate the house and go outside.
  2. Radiological: In a radiological emergency, you may be told to shelter-in-place or leave the area. Examples of radiological emergencies could include bombs that contain radioactive materials (called a “dirty bomb”), an explosion at a nuclear plant or of a small nuclear device. In the case of a radiological emergency, the safest place is a centrally-located room or basement. If you think you have been exposed to radiation, take a shower with warm water and soap, change your clothes and put what you were wearing in a plastic bag. Pets should also be brought inside and washed with warm water and soap.
  3. Biological: A biological emergency involves the release of germs or other substances that can make you sick. Examples of biological emergencies could include smallpox, salmonella or anthrax. Many biological agents must be breathed in or eaten while others can enter through a cut on the skin. Some, like smallpox, can be spread from person to person while others, such as anthrax, cannot. If you think you have been exposed to smallpox, stay away from others and call your county health department, your local doctor or health clinic immediately.

Things to Keep in Mind During Shelter-In-Place

Most likely you will only need to shelter-in-place for a few hours.

  • Choose a room with a hard-wired telephone in addition to any cellular phones you may have. Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.
  • Gather essential disaster supplies ahead of time including canned food, a hand-operated can opener, bottled water, battery-powered radios, a first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, duct tape, plastic sheeting and plastic garbage bags. Remember not to drink water from the tap as it may make you sick.
  • Make sure all necessary medicine is convenient.  Ask your doctor about storing prescription drugs such as heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin and others.
  • If your children are at school, they will be sheltered there. Unless you are told to do so, do not try to get to the school to bring your children home. Taking them from the school will put them, and you, at increased risk.
  • You should not shelter in a vehicle, as this does not provide enough protection against harmful materials.

Things to Keep in Mind for Those with Special Needs

  • Make sure you have all the supplies that a baby or child will need. Remember to include formula, diapers, bottles, medications and diaper rash ointment.
  • Seniors and people with disabilities should include extra eyeglasses, hearing aid and/or wheelchair batteries, oxygen tanks, or other special equipment in their disaster kits. Also include a list of style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers. Make sure that others know how to operate equipment such as wheelchairs.
  • People with disabilities should create a support network to help them in an emergency.  Make sure someone knows where your disaster supplies are and can get into your house or apartment in an emergency.

Tips in the Workplace

In addition to the instructions above, use the following guidelines in the workplace:

  • Close the business. Ask customers, clients or visitors to stay in the building.
  • If the business has a voicemail system, change the recording to say that the business is closed and that staff and visitors are remaining in the building until officials advise it is safe to leave.
  • Write down the names of everyone in the room and call your business’ emergency contact to report who is in the room with you and their relationship with your business (i.e. employee, client, customer, visitor, etc.). 

   

 

 Portland Fire & Rescue

 We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

 May 12, 2011

 

Follow Portland Fire & Rescue on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

7 Comments

Add a Comment

1

Kate Lefarth

May 27, 2011 at 6:32 AM

How do I sign up for that reverse 911 It is where we will be notified if there is an evacuation notification. ???

2

jeni smith

December 27, 2011 at 9:31 AM

Thanks for all that information. Really love how hard you guys work for the rest of us. Merry xmas from http://www.classivox.com and happy new year.

3

Sneha Sahu

April 18, 2016 at 2:32 AM

For Reliable Packers and Movers Hyderabad visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-hyderabad/
For Authentic Packers and Movers Pune visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-pune/
For Definitive Packers and Movers Bangalore visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-bangalore/

4

Sneha Sahu

April 18, 2016 at 2:33 AM

For Valid Packers and Movers Mumbai visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-mumbai/
For Genuine Packers and Movers Delhi visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-delhi/
For Faithful Packers and Movers Gurgaon visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-gurgaon/

5

Sneha Sahu

April 18, 2016 at 2:35 AM

For Trustworthy Packers and Movers Noida visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-noida/
For Loyal Packers and Movers Chennai visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-chennai/
For Principled Packers and Movers Thane visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-thane/
For Staunch Packers and Movers Navi Mumbai visit
http://www.movers5th.in/packers-and-movers-navimumbai/
For Best Packers and Movers visit
http://www.movers5th.in/

6

Sneha Sahu

April 18, 2016 at 2:36 AM

Packers and Movers Hyderabad @
http://www.moveby5th.in/packers-and-movers-hyderabad.html
Packers and Movers Bangalore @
http://www.moveby5th.in/packers-and-movers-bangalore.html
Packers and Movers Pune @
http://www.moveby5th.in/packers-and-movers-pune.html
Packers and Movers Delhi @
http://www.moveby5th.in/packers-and-movers-delhi.html
Packers and Movers Mumbai @
http://www.moveby5th.in/packers-and-movers-mumbai.html
Packers and Movers Gurgaon @
http://www.moveby5th.in/packers-and-movers-gurgaon.html

7

voicemail marketing

August 25, 2018 at 7:37 PM

I am not sure where you are getting your information, but good topic.
I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.
Thanks for excellent info I was looking for this info
for my mission
http://straight2voicemail.com.au

Please review our Code of Conduct rules before posting a comment to this site.
Report Abuse (Please include the specific topic and comment for the fastest response/resolution.)

Post a Comment
Name
E-mail (visible to admins only)
 Remember Info Yes   No
Comments
Spam Prevention In the Pacific Northwest, what state is Portland in?