Stay Inside and Prepare Your Home for Emergencies

It's natural to want to go home to be with your loved ones during an emergency. In many emergencies, however, the best plan is to stay put and seek shelter inside. Why? Staying inside is the best way to protect yourself from toxic materials that may be outside, like chemicals, nerve gas or radiation.

Use these proven emergency steps to protect yourself once inside:

• Close all doors, windows and vents.

• Turn off all heating or cooling systems that bring outside air into the building. Take this step in the event of a release of chemicals, nerve gas or radiation

• Go to an interior room with no windows.

• Stay tuned to local broadcasts for updates.

• Follow these instructions until officials say it’s safe to go back outside.

Taking these steps in an emergency is called “sheltering in place.”