Shelter in place means staying inside a closed room until officials give the all clear. Officials decide whether you stay in or leave, so pick the room and the plan before the alert comes.
Bring pets in, lock doors and windows, go to an inside room with few or no windows, and turn off fans, air conditioning and the furnace.
If officials say stay inside
- If you have plastic sheeting and duct tape, seal windows, vents and the door. CDC says to use towels or sheets only if you have none.
- Stay until officials give the all clear, which may take a few hours or longer.
If officials say leave
- Go right away by the route officials give, and stay upwind if you can.
- In a car, keep windows and vents closed and turn off the heater and air conditioning.
- Text a contact outside the area.
If you may have been exposed
- Act within minutes. Taking off as much clothing as you can removes roughly 80 to 90 percent of the chemical.
- Wash skin and hair with lukewarm water and mild soap for 2 to 3 minutes. Flush burning eyes for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if you have symptoms.
Free pages to print
Chemical spills guide
A short guide to sheltering in place when officials ask you to.
Alerts and signals
A blank single page you can print and fill in by hand.
Sources: Ready.gov, Hazardous Materials Incidents; CDC, Chemical Emergencies; EPA, Local Emergency Planning Committees. Checked October 2026. Follow local officials first.
General information for families, not legal, medical or financial advice. In an emergency, follow local officials and call 911.
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