Shelter-in-place
Shelter-in-Place orders are issued when it is safer for you to be sheltered indoors than for you to evacuate. There are several types of emergencies that warrant a shelter-in-place response: severe inclement weather, a hazardous chemical/substance emergency, or criminal activity outside the building. Emergency Response personnel will direct the command to shelter-in-place or evacuate depending upon the type and severity of the emergency.
What to do in the event of a Shelter-in-place
General sheltering instructions
- Administration or HCC Police initiates shelter-in-place procedures.
- Ensure all appropriate persons are inside buildings or rooms.
- If possible, account for all persons in your designated area.
- Close doors and windows, if possible.
- Keep all persons away from exposed windows and doors.
- All persons are to remain in the secured area until “all clear” is declared by emergency personnel.
Severe weather shelter-in-place
- Seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest-floor possible.
- Stay away from windows.
- Get underneath a sturdy table or object and hold on.
- Turn on a battery-powered radio and tune it to local radio or use your smartphone to find information from official sources.
- Close windows and window blinds.
- DO NOT open windows or doors ahead of sheltering.
Hazardous material shelter-in-place
- Close all windows and doors.
- Turn off all air-conditioning and heating systems.
- Seek shelter in an interior room with the fewest doors possible.
- Use plastic sheeting and duct tape to create cover all doors, windows and vents in the space with at least two inches of space around the edge.
- Turn on a battery-powered radio and tune it to local radio or use your smartphone to find information from official sources.
- When the all-clear is given by local authorities, open all windows and doors and air-out the structure, unless told to do otherwise.
Get in Touch
Bob McCracken
Executive Director of Risk Management
3100 Main, Houston, TX 77002