Skip to main content
Jaguar Logo

Emergency Management

Select Language

Emergency Quick Reference Guide

Fires

Building Evacuations

Active Shooters

Do not attempt to confront or apprehend the shooter, unless it is a last resort.

Suspicious Behavior/ Persons of Concern

Suspicious Packages

Severe Weather

Bomb Threats

Flooding

Gas Leaks, Fumes, Vapors

Hazardous Material Spills

Hazardous material spill, incident, or release for which assistance is needed:

Medical Emergencies

Shelter in Place

A shelter in place is the use of a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate individuals from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. This can be because of a hazardous material incident, or perhaps a weather-related emergency.  It entails closing all household doors, windows, and vents and taking immediate shelter in a readily accessible location, such as a basement or central medium to small room, and, in the case of a hazardous material incident, trying to make it as airtight as possible by shutting off all ventilation/HVAC systems and extensively sealing the shelter's doors and windows from all outside air contaminants with damp towels, or if available, plastic sheeting and adhesive tape. Diagrams of what sheltering in place entail following a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threat, and how long it is advised to be done for, are provided by the FEMA-affiliated affiliated website http://www.ready.gov/shelter.

The process used to seal the room is considered a temporary protective measure to create a barrier between you and potentially contaminated air outside. It is a type of sheltering in place that requires preplanning.

Follow instructions from emergency personnel. Your safety has to be kept in high priority during emergencies.

University of Houston Police Department Resources