|
Shelters
|
Storm Shelters
Tornadoes create wind much stronger than houses are generally built to withstand. This is only a problem when a tornado or other extremely strong wind event directly affects your house. In this type of situation, a storm shelter may be the best way to protect your family and yourself. Shelters are available in many sizes and shapes and are available from many vendors. We can't endorse a specific company but a search on the Internet can provide some leads. The best time to build a shelter is in the new construction or remolding phase of your home, but in Texas it is always a good time to try and make building a shelter a priority. If your home is already built and you have no remodeling plans, some companies can convert a closet into a safe room.
FEMA produces an excellent guide entitled, Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room. The picture to the left is what the cover of the First Edition copy looks like. It is available in Paragraph Display Format (PDF) from the FEMA Website or Mesquite Emergency Management has a limited number of copies. Just call and request your own copy. This book will help you with the actual design and materials and cost estimation.
Shelters can be installed underground or as part of a house during construction or remodeling. These units do not need to take up much space, all that is needed is just enough space for your immediate family. To provide some idea of the space requirements, the pictures below show before and after views of an underground shelter and the yard after installation. The third picture is an above ground shelter prior to integration with the Master bedroom closet. |
Underground Shelter prior to burying it in the homeowner's yard. |
 Underground shelters do not really take up that much space and can be landscaped nicely. |
Right: This is just one example of an aboveground shelter. This unit happens to be made out of heavy gauge steel. Other similar type models use poured concrete or cinder block construction filled with concrete and steel reinforcement. |
 |
Photos of storm shelters used with permission of Storm and Tornado Shelters of Texas. The City of Mesquite does not endorse any product or company as a matter of policy. |
|
When A Storm Shelter is Not an Option
In homes or other small buildings:
You may also shelter in a small, windowless, first floor, interior rooms like a closet or bathroom. The bathtub and commode are anchored directly into the ground, and sometimes are the only thing left in place after the tornado. Getting into the bathtub with a couch cushion over you gives you protection on all sides, as well as an extra anchor to the foundation. Plumbing pipes may or may not help hold the walls together, but all the extra framing that it takes to put a bathroom together may make a big difference. If there is no downstairs bathroom and the closets are all packed with "stuff," a hall may be the best shelter.
In schools:
The best place is in a hallway that does not open to the outside in any direction. If there are no interior hallways without outside doors, avoid those that open to the southwest, south, or west, since that is the usually the direction the tornado will come. Make sure that instructions are given to crouch down and make as small of a target as is possible.
Always follow teacher's instructions, but do not assume that there will always be a teacher or adult to give instructions. Training to let school children know that putting something between one's head and flying debris is always a good topic.
Leave auditoriums, gyms, and other free-span rooms, exiting in an orderly fashion. Go to interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor, but stay away from glass both in windows and doors.
To or from school, work, or activities:
If you are on foot or riding a bike, it is doubly important that you go home immediately, and not linger. If caught in the open, you should seek a safe place immediately. The chances of encountering falling trees, power lines, hail, and lightning is a great concern during any severe storm. Lying flat in a ditch or low-lying area might offer some protection, but be wary of rain that could cause flash flooding.
If you are in a car, and you can see hail forming, try to get home or out of the hail. Never stop under overpasses and block roadways. The blocked roadway may cause a bigger danger than hail or strong winds. If you see a tornado forming or approaching, you should leave the car and take shelter. In Texas, the lack of basements means that a ditch or culvert might be the best place, but stay aware of the flash flood hazard.
In shopping centers, factories / workplaces, and hospitals:
Go to interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor. Stay away from glass enclosed places or areas with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, theaters, and warehouses. Crouch down and cover your head. Deaths have occurred in large, single story department stores. They have occurred inside the building when the roof or wide span brick walls collapsed. A corner would be safer than the middle of the wall. A bathroom, closet, office, or maintenance room with short walls would be the safest area. |
Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents
When protecting the public from the effects of a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) incident, factors such as the number of affected population, weather conditions, chemical(s) involved, length of duration for the incident, and similar concerns all become part of the decision making process. Once all factors are weighed, a decision will be made to either request voluntary evacuation or request public participation with Shelter-In-Place protection. In some instances, if a HAZMAT spill is not harmful to humans or if nobody will be exposed to the material, then neither action is necessary.
Evacuation
When evacuation is requested, it may be for a large part of Mesquite or just a small area. Paying attention to whom is asked to evacuate and which direction to go is the most important thing that someone could do.
Mesquite public who find themselves in the areas that are needing to be evacuated should stay calm and begin collecting any necessary items such as disaster supply kits, pets, and any small items that may serve to comfort you or your family while away from home. People who are at work should not return to home for these items unless home is outside of the evacuation area.
While driving away from the hazard, make sure to listen to local radio stations that will keep you updated on current events. KEOM 88.5 and KSCS 96.3 are two primary warning points who can provide additional news and instructions. In addition to the radio pay attention to official instructions from police officers and firefighters, electronic message boards, and other communication devices that are delivering official messages originating from the government entity responsible for requesting evacuation.
Whether at home or at work, those that have prepared for all types of emergencies will have a copy of their family disaster plan. In this document some mention should be given to identifying an individual as an emergency point of contact. This person should live outside of the immediate area, if possible, and the plan must identify multiple ways to contact that person. As long as it does not endanger life, time should be taken to contact that person to let them know where you are going. This action will help place other family members at ease.
If you are at work and have children in the public school system, do not try and pick the children up from school. Your trust is placed in the Mesquite School District to care for the health and safety of your children on a daily basis. The best thing a parent can do is believe that the school district will continue that care.
Some final thoughts. . .
- If your area of town is not requested to evacuate, DO NOT!
- Always keep windows, doors closed.
- Make sure that your vehicle's ventilation is set to re-circulate air.
- Obey all traffic laws, unless police officers are directing otherwise.
- Be patient with others in heavy traffic situations.
- If traffic stops, do not get out of your car unless you have a good reason.
Shelter-In-Place
When it is determined that evacuation is not an appropriate or necessary solution, residents and businesses in Mesquite may be asked to Shelter-In-Place. This is a much more desired response, because many HAZMAT type incidents are short in duration and protective actions are needed only a short while.
Shelter-in-Place uses the structure you are in to protect you from the effects of hazardous chemicals when evacuation is not possible or when the incident duration is shorter than the amount of time needed to evacuate.
Sheltering-in-place should not last more than a couple of hours. An "all clear" message will be announced by radio and television stations, or by fire and police officials that may be in the effected area.
Shelter-in-place uses some common sense type actions to protect you, your family, or your co-workers. The goal of shelter-in-place is to reduce the amount of inflow of outside air into the pre-determined "safe room" during a sheltering period. Simply closing all doors, windows, and turning off air conditioning or heating units will provide occupants a good head start in self-protection. Remember that this is not all that has to be done, it is just a good head start.
Needed items for Shelter-In-Place actions: |
 |
- Duct or masking tape
- Plastic sheeting
- Scissors
- Fan for ventilation
- Bottled water to wet towels
- Towels to seal bottoms of doors
- Battery powered radio
- Flashlight with extra batteries
|
Instructions for Use
Choose an interior room in your home or business (your "safe" room) that can be easily sealed. Make sure the kit that is prepared for this type of sheltering is located in this room and is ready to go at all times. Since sheltering could continue for several hours, it might be a good idea to store the disaster supply kit near the shelter-in-place materials.
When Shelter-In-Place instructions are issued, make sure that you are in the area that is being asked to shelter. Bring visitors, friends, pets and/or fellow workers inside with you. DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 UNLESS you are reporting an immediate life-threatening situation. Once this is complete, start sealing the room, by: |
|
 Closing all doors and sealing around the door with tape and plastic. Use the bottled water to wet the towels and place the towels along the bottom of the door. This should seal any spaces between the door and the floor.
|
 Turn off the air circulation units and cover all duct outlets with plastic and tape. Despite popular belief, the room will not run out of air. Shelter-In-Place simply slows down air exchange. If it is hot outside, chances are that the room may become stuffy. That is why a fan is a recommended piece of equipment.
If the room contains a fireplace, extinguish any fires, close the damper, and seal the fireplace. |
|
 Close all windows and use plastic and tape to seal the window. If there is time, open the blinds, drapes, etc. and place a sign in the window indicating that someone has sheltered in the room. Following these procedures should keep you and your family safe from chemical spills that have a short duration.
|
| Kids in School
DO NOT go to your child's school. Children will be sheltered and protected by school officials either through evacuation on buses or Shelter-In-Place protection.
Statement on Gas Masks
Many people have been concerned about terrorist attacks. Being prepared to follow the recommendations of city officials to either evacuate or shelter-in-place is the best thing to do. These actions should help protect you and your family from nuclear, biological, or chemical terrorist attacks. Still, some people have expressed an interest in purchasing surplus military gas masks and protective clothing. While it is not recommended that you purchase a gas mask, if you feel it necessary to buy one, consider purchasing one from an industrial safety equipment retailer. Items such as gas masks and personal protective equipment require proper storage and maintenance. Some components have limited shelf lives, which must be carefully monitored. Additionally, gas masks are not effective in oxygen deficient environments and different filters may be required to protect from various chemicals. Purchasing a gas mask from an industrial safety equipment supplier will help ensure that the equipment is in proper working order. |
|
Pre-Incident Sheltering
|
 Many people who experienced the period between World War II and the end of the cold war probably recognize the fallout shelter sign. The United States Department of Defense, in preparation to shelter people in American cities from the effects of radioactive fallout, developed the Fallout Shelter Program. The signs were used to identify structures that were ready to provide protection from the harmful radiation found in the fallout. The intent of this program was never to provide pre-incident shelter for the public.
Fallout shelters were stocked with water, high calorie canned goods such as peanut butter, tuna, canned fruits, and canned beans, first aid supplies, and enough equipment needed to care for all shelter occupants. These facilities were designed to keep harmful contaminants from entering the shelter location and support life for a period of time. Although many people believe that these shelters were all below ground, many of these signs were placed on tall buildings, because vertical evacuation, the act of moving out of harm's way by moving to a higher elevation, could also provide protection. The important thing to remember is that these shelters were never designed to protect the public from the blast, heat, or fire of a nuclear attack. They were designed to care for survivors of the initial incident.
It was assumed that those survivors would be able locate and travel to the fallout shelters for protection. Those buildings displaying signs like the one above were ready to provide essential services for up to 30 days. Once the radioactivity of the fallout reached a point that was not as dangerous, occupants could venture outside and start rebuilding. |
 The basic idea behind these shelters is similar to modern emergency management, because modern shelters are not available to the public on a pre-incident basis. Modern shelters are designed to provide clothes, food, drinks, and a dry, safe place to spend time while survivors recover from the effects of a disaster.
Most communities do not identify shelter locations before an incident for one main reason.
|
When a community suffers a disastrous event, depending on circumstances, only around 25% of those affected actually seek refuge in a public shelter. Many other people go to hotels and to stay with friends and family. To maximize the resources that are available, most communities open one shelter location and fill it to capacity before opening additional locations.
So, one should realize that advertising a variety of shelter locations may send people to locations that are darkened, locked, and non-staffed. When a disaster does occur, stay tuned to local radio stations, KEOM 88.5 and KSCS, for additional news and instructions. |
|
|
