With the threat of terrorism looming over us, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management has some tips on how to prepare a safe room in your house.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1 hour
Here's How:
- Before the event, buy enough plastic sheeting or visquine to cover all the windows, doors, heating and air vents and other openings in single room of your house.
- Get duct tape and emergency supplies to last at least three days. A radio is smart idea. Store all of these in your "safe room."
- Before the event, cut out all the sheeting. Make sure you have sheeting prepared to cover all openings already cut out. In the event of an emergency, you might not have enough time to cut everything out.
- Start by covering the doors. Cover the entire door down to floor. Don't let any air enter through. Use duct tape to secure the sheeting to the walls and floor.
- Cover windows, air vents, light switches and outlets in the same way, even phone jacks. All of these could let air enter the room. Be sure to turn off the heating and air before you cover the vents!
- Be sure to bring pets and family into the room before you seal it off!
Tips:
- Don't forget to store medications, asthma inhalers and things like that in your safe room.
- Be sure to have scissors in your emergency supply kit to cut the duct tape with!
- If you have pets, remember to stock pet food in your supply kit.
- Extra batteries are a smart idea. You will not be able to plug up radios, tvs, etc. so you'll need them!
What You Need:
- plastic sheeting
- duct tape
- emergency supplies
- radio
