Shelter-in-Place

Just a couple of weeks ago, a chemical leak in Pasadena, Texas, forced a Shelter-in-Place (SIP) situation in the surrounding area. This particular SIP order lasted only about four hours, but it could have been worse. At the same time, a gas leak in a San Jose neighborhood also prompted an SIP situation. As you can see, you seldom have any warning of a disruption that can cause you to be ordered to shelter in place. It makes sense, therefore, to be prepared. The following articles can help in your preparations.

There are many difficult aspects of the shelter-in-place process. (Item #1)   Here is a general guide for preparing a shelter in place plan in the workplace (Item #2)   What must landlord do in the event of an SIP order? (Item #3)  

These event-specific guidelines can help in an SIP situation. (Item #4)   Portable air cleaners that can filter out toxic gas are making shelter-in-place safe rooms even safer. (Item #5)   Our last item is a series to links to supplies of SIP equipment and supplies. (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Shelter-in-Place: White Paper

How do you even suggest to people that they not follow what they feel are their instincts? How do you suggest they not evacuate their building, when one cannot always determine where the source of the problem is? Being in a high-rise office building can be somewhat blinding as one really only has the view based on the location of their office. In multi-tenant buildings, it could be almost impossible to know what is occurring at the other three sides of the floor, let alone within the building.
http://www.houtkinconsulting.com/ShelterInPlace.Posted.pdf

2. Shelter in Place at Your Office

This paper provides an example of a plan that a business could develop for shelter in place actions. You should develop your own plan with an employee planning team. The following plan can be used to assist in developing your own plan.
http://www.nicsinfo.org/docs/SIP%20plan%20for%20offices%20NICS%20feb2003.pdf

3. Shelter-in-Place Orders: What Must a Landlord Do?

If hazardous materials are released -- or threatened to be released -- during an emergency that may affect your property, authorities may instruct the public to "shelter-in-place." This means that everyone must immediately take refuge in a room with as few windows and as little ventilation as possible, to minimize the risk of exposure to airborne chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants.
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-29877.html

4. Shelter-in-Place

In some emergency situations it is safer to seek shelter than it is to evacuate. Sheltering-In-Place is often the appropriate choice dynamic, quickly changing conditions threaten as a result of criminal activity, wildfires, or a hazardous materials incident.
http://www.4cd.net/911/emergency_guidlines/SHELTER%20IN%20PLACE%202009.pdf

5. Air cleaners add safety to shelter-in-place rooms

Portable air cleaners that can filter out toxic gas are making shelter-in-place safe rooms even safer. (Scroll down on the first page of this NICS newsletter to read the article)
http://www.nicsinfo.org/nl/nn0203.pdf

6. Links to SIP supplies and equipment providers.

1. http://www.emergencyproductswarehouse.com/
   en/our_products/create_own_emergency_kit/index.html
2. http://www.keystosaferschools.com/shelter-in-place_kits.htm
3. http://www.survivalcenter.com/UG.html
4. http://www.firstaid-supply.com/disastersurvival/disastersurvivalkits1.html
5. http://www.airpurifiersdirect2u.com/workplaceunits.aspx
6. http://www.airpurifiersdirect2u.com/
   airpurifierrecommendationsforyourworkplaceairpurifiersdirect2u.aspx