Definition
Shelter in place refers to finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an “all clear” or told to evacuate. This can be due to everything from hazardous material releases to fires, explosions or chemical spills. If a shelter in place order is given, employees should follow these procedures to ensure their safety.
How to choose a room to shelter in place:
- Select a small, interior room, with no or few windows.
- Choose a room where exterior doors and windows close completely.
- It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room you select (cell phone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged in an emergency).
Once inside a safe room, follow these procedures:
- Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems.
- Inspect emergency kits and supplies.
- Check for updates via BruinAlert and bso.ucla.edu.
- Tune your AM radio to 1630 for updates on the situation and the 'all-clear' message.
- Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you create a barrier between yourself and any contamination.
- Stay inside the room until you have received an “all clear” via BruinAlert.
