I recall when a FEMA official was asked questions about the plastic and duct tape during a FEMA news conference--they could read the information off the notes they were given, but they could not explain why plastic and duct tape were on the list of things to have and employ. That mistake started a firestorm of news coverage that made for some great late night comedy jokes.
The American Red Cross has some good information on what to do when a "Shelter in Place" warning is given. But who in your local community knows it? As I drove over a bridge recently and saw a cold storage plant next to the railroad and across from a school--it was reason to be concerned about who knows what to do: at the school, in the homes in the neighborhood. I'm sure the cold storage plant doesn't want to alarm its neighbors about their hazardous materials--but these people should know about their risks.
I always recommend to people that they should go to their local fire department and ask about hazardous materials either being used or stored near where they live, or better yet where they are looking to live. If we can avoid the hazard in the first place, all the better!
