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Date: 12/15/05
Contacts: Lori Wirth - City of Madison Fire Department, (608) 266-5947
Dr. Marvin Birnbaum – UW Hospitals EMS, (608) 263-9641
PREP: Sheltering-in-Place Revisited
Sheltering-in-Place took center stage quickly and briefly right after
9/11 put everyone into a preparedness frame of mind. Remembering back
to that time, most people think of duct tape jokes.
The fact is, Sheltering-in-Place is a simple extension of preparedness
in the home at times when evacuation may not be necessary or possible.
Sheltering-in-place is a precaution aimed to keep you safe while remaining
indoors. (This is not the same thing as going to a shelter in case of
a storm.) Shelter-in-place means selecting a small, interior room, with
no or few windows, and taking refuge there. It does not mean sealing off
your entire home or office building.
There are a number of scenarios in which you might need to Shelter-in-Place.
Chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally
or intentionally into the environment.
City of Madison Fire Department medical director, Dr. Marv Birnbaum says
a flu epidemic resulting in a quarantine, or a snowstorm might be cause
for sheltering-in-place.
Birnbaum is behind the PREP initiative – People Responding to Emergencies
Program.
The objective of PREP is behavioral change – individuals taking
responsibility to prepare themselves, their families and their property
for safety in a disaster or emergency.
For more information, visit the PREP website at prep.medicine.wisc.edu.
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