Everyone should have a safe room located in a large interior closet, bathroom or hallway.
The safe room should be in the interior of the home, as close to the center as possible, and have no outside walls - including the wall to the garage - or windows.
The room should be large enough to store emergency supplies. Also, the more walls surrounding the safe room, the better. In two-story structures, experts recommend a location near the stairwell.
Some experts recommend that the door to the safe room be replaced or reinforced if it's a weak closet or interior room door. One expert recommended that the ceiling of the room, if in a one-story structure, be reinforced with plywood.
Arrange the room so it has room for emergency supplies and bedding for comfort. If the room is large enough, it is recommended that a mattress be placed inside for extra comfort and to get under if necessary.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has plans for people considering building a safe room in their room. The plans are available at www.fema.gov.
Inform neighbors, friends, relatives or coworkers of the location of the safe room just in case emergency workers need assistance locating it if the home receives major structural damage.
