For Individuals and Households

Individual & Family

When disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond. A spill of hazardous material could mean immediate evacuation. A winter storm could confine your family at home. An earthquake, tornado or any other disaster could cut off basic services — gas, water, electricity and telephone — for days.

After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will not be able to reach everyone immediately. Help could come in hours, or it may take days. Will your family be ready? You’ll cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. In this booklet, we offer simple guidelines that will help you and your family prepare for emergencies

Shelter in Place Guidelines

If a hazardous chemical emergency occurs in your neighborhood, the most important thing to remember is to take action immediately. During a hazardous chemical emergency you should go inside and stay put. This procedure is called "Shelter in Place" or "SIP". You should use a single room in your house such as the bathroom or bedroom.

If possible, pick a room with a toilet, phone access (cell is acceptable), water and a radio/TV. For a complete guide for developing a Shelter in Place plan for your office, download one of the documents below or call our office and ask that we mail you a copy.