If you and your family were instructed to “shelter in place,” would you know what to do? Or why you were being asked to do it?
Wikipedia defines the concept of sheltering in place as “a process for taking immediate shelter in a location readily accessible to the affected individual by sealing a single area (an example being a room) from outside contaminants and shutting off all HVAC (heat, ventilation and air conditioning) systems.
“These actions would generally be taken after a chemical accident or terrorist attack. Depending on the exact situation, everyone within a specific distance of the incident may be ordered to shelter in place or people within a closer range may be ordered to evacuate while everyone else shelters in place. Sheltering in place is generally only used for a short period of time.”
So, Cordova isn’t exactly on the top 10 list for nuclear or terrorist activity, but “sheltering in place” could also be used for a serious fallout from volcanic ash, and that is something we can identify with, isn’t it?
Public officials could ask you to shelter in place if there were a biological, radiological or chemical contaminate in the Cordova area with the potential to cause serious injury or death to humans, animals or plants. Your goal would be to put a barrier between you — and it.
Typically, this sheltering will be for a short time period, but a bit of preparation and wise choices of where to shelter, and what to take with you, will make the experience easier. Do not plan to make the trip across town. Shelter in place means to do it immediately, whether you are at home, work or school.
Should there be a necessity to shelter in place, Cordovans would be notified by radio and by the siren.
Once a shelter in place is called, you are expected to:
- Go inside immediately. Choose a room with access to water, if possible.
- Bring all children and animals with you.
- Close and lock all doors and windows.
- Eliminate all ways in which contaminates could get inside. (Close the fireplace dampers.)
- Text or call your out-of-state contact to let them know where you are and how you are doing. Let them know if any of your family members are separated from you.
- But use your phone ONLY as necessary. Keep the lines open for emergency responders.
If instructed to seal the room you are in:
- Tape doors and windows, if so instructed.
- Keep extra-large garbage bags on hand to cover windows with plastic and duct tape it in place.
- Turn off anything that moves the air around, like fans or air conditioners.
- Listen to the radio, watch the scanner, call the Emergency Hotline 907-424-8888, (which would be put in place at the time) and check the Cordova city website for further instruction, and to find out when the shelter in place is over.
Don’t forget that you will also need to prepare to shelter your pets.
- Prepare a spot for your pet to poop and pee while inside the shelter. Be sure you have enough plastic bags, newspapers and cleaning supplies.
- Do NOT allow pets to go outside until the danger has passed
Do NOT leave the shelter in place location until clearly instructed to do so through the radio or the city website www.cityofcordova.net. When you are instructed that it is safe to leave, turn the air circulation (fans and air systems) back on and go outside while the air is completely circulated inside.
Last year there was a shelter in place house at the health fair, with an interactive public education miniature house to practice taping up windows.
There was also an opportunity to consider what items to take with you in a shelter in place scenario. If your family missed that fun, you can learn more by looking up “shelter in place” online.
And since this is a relatively new concept to Cordovans, consider coming to Cordova Volunteer Fire Department to get your own Cordova Shelter in Place brochure. Do it!
Be prudent. Be ready. Be prepared.
Joanie Behrends is the captain of the Cordova Volunteer Fire Department ambulance.
