www.ready.gov
“Terrorism forces us to make a choice. 

We can be afraid. Or we can be ready.”

—Secretary Tom Ridge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

www.ready.gov
Potential Threats

Terrorists are working to obtain

biological, chemical, nuclear

and radiological weapons and

the threat of an attack is very

real. Here at the Department of

Homeland Security, throughout

the federal government, and at

organizations across America we

are working hard to strengthen

our Nation’s security. Whenever

possible, we want to stop 

terrorist attacks before they

happen. All Americans should

begin a process of learning

about potential threats so we

are better prepared to react

during an attack. While there

is no way to predict what will

happen, or what your personal

circumstances will be, there

are simple things you can do

Preparing

makes sense.

The likelihood of you and 

your family surviving a 

house fire depends as much 

on having a working smoke

detector and an exit strategy,

as on a well-trained fire 

department. The same is 

true for surviving a terrorist

attack. We must have the 

tools and plans in place to

make it on our own, at least 

for a period of time, no 

matter where we are when 

disaster strikes. Just like 

having a working smoke 

detector, preparing for the

unexpected makes sense. 

Get ready now.

now to prepare yourself and

your loved ones. Some of the

things you can do to prepare

for a terrorist attack, such as

assembling a supply kit and

developing a family communications plan, are the same for

both a natural or man-made

emergency. However, as you

will read below, there are

important differences among

potential terrorist threats that

will impact the decisions you

make and the actions you

take. With a little planning 

and common sense, you can

be better prepared for the 

unexpected.

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Emergency

Supplies

Just like having a working

smoke detector in your home,

having emergency supply kits

will put the tools you may

need at your fingertips. Be

prepared to improvise and 

use what you have on hand 

to make it on your own for 

at least three days, maybe

longer. While there are many

things that might make you

more comfortable, think first

about fresh water, food and

clean air. Remember to

include, and periodically

rotate, medications you take

every day such as insulin and

heart medicine. Plan to store

items in an easy-to-carry bag,

such as a shopping bag, backpack or duffle bag. Consider

two kits. In one, put everything you will need to stay

where you are and make it on

your own. The other should 

be a lightweight, smaller 

version you can take with you

if you have to get away.

Water 

Store one gallon of water per

person per day for drinking 

and sanitation in clean plastic 

containers. If you live in a

warm weather climate more

water may be necessary.

Food 

Store food that won’t go bad

and does not have to be heated

or cooked. Choose foods that

your family will eat, including

protein or fruit bars, dry cereal

or granola, canned foods and

juices, peanut butter, dried

fruit, nuts, crackers and baby

foods. Remember to pack a

manual can opener, cups and

eating utensils. 

Clean Air

Many potential terrorist attacks

could send tiny microscopic

“junk” into the air. For example,

an explosion may release very

fine debris that can cause lung

damage. A biological attack

may release germs that can

make you sick if inhaled or

absorbed through open cuts.

Many of these agents can only

hurt you if they get into your

body, so think about creating a

barrier between yourself and

any contamination. 

Be prepared to improvise with

what you have on hand to 

protect your nose, mouth, eyes

and cuts in your skin. Anything

that fits snugly over your nose

and mouth, including any

dense-weave cotton material,

can help filter contaminants in

an emergency. It is very 

important that most of the air

you breathe comes through the

mask or cloth, not around it. 

Do whatever you can to make

the best fit possible for children. There are also a variety

of face masks readily available

in hardware stores that are

rated based on how small a

particle they can filter in an

industrial setting. 

Given the different types of

attacks that could occur, there

is not one solution for masking.

For instance, simple cloth face

masks can filter some of the

Photo courtesy of DAKINE

airborne “junk” or germs you
might breathe into your body,

but will probably not protect

you from chemical gases. Still,

something over your nose and

mouth in an emergency is 

better than nothing.

Have heavyweight garbage 

bags or plastic sheeting, duct

tape and scissors in your kit.

You can use these things to

tape up windows, doors and 

air vents if you need to seal off

a room from outside contamination. Consider precutting 

and labeling these materials.

Anything you can do in advance

will save time when it counts.

Basic Supplies

Store a flashlight, battery 

powered radio, extra batteries,

a first aid kit, utility knife,

local map, toilet paper, 

feminine hygiene products,

soap, garbage bags and other

sanitation supplies, plastic

sheeting, duct tape, as well as

extra cash and identification.

Periodically rotate your extra

batteries to be sure they work

when you need them.

Warmth

If you live in a cold weather

climate, you must think about

warmth. It is possible that the

power will be out and you will

not have heat. Have warm

clothing for each family 

member in your supply kit,

including a jacket or coat, long

pants, a long sleeve shirt, 

sturdy shoes, a hat and gloves.

Have a sleeping bag or warm

blanket for each person. 

Special Items

Think about your family’s 

unique needs. Pack diapers,

formula, bottles, prescription

medications, pet food, comfort

items, books, paper, pens, a

deck of cards or other forms 

of entertainment.

Unique Family Needs

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Emergency

Planning

You should plan in advance

what you will do in an 

emergency. Be prepared to

assess the situation, use

common sense and whatever

you have on hand to take

care of yourself and your

loved ones. Think about the

places where your family

spends time: school, work

and other places you 

frequent. Ask about their

emergency plans. Find out

how they will communicate

with families during an

emergency. If they do not

have an emergency plan,

consider helping develop one.

Develop a Family

Communications Plan

Your family may not be together

when disaster strikes, so plan

how you will contact one

another and review what you

will do in different situations.

Consider a plan where each

family member calls, or 

e-mails, the same friend or 

relative in the event of an

emergency. It may be easier to

make a long-distance phone

call than to call across town,

so an out-of-state contact may

be in a better position to 

communicate among separated

family members. Be sure each

person knows the phone 

number and has coins or a 

prepaid phone card to call the

emergency contact. You may

have trouble getting through, or

the phone system may be down

altogether, but be patient. 

Deciding to Stay or Go

Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the

attack, the first important 

decision is whether you stay

put or get away. You should

understand and plan for both

possibilities. Use common

sense and available information, including what you are

learning here, to determine if

there is immediate danger. 

In any emergency, local 

authorities may or may not

immediately be able to provide

information on what is happening and what you should do.

However, you should watch TV,

listen to the radio or check the

Internet often for information

or official instructions as it

becomes available. If you’re

specifically told to evacuate or

seek medical treatment, do so

immediately.

Staying Put and 

“Shelter-in-Place”

Whether you are at home, 

work or elsewhere, there may

be situations when it’s simply

best to stay where you are and

avoid any uncertainty outside.

In fact, there are some 

circumstances where staying

put and creating a barrier

between yourself and potentially 

contaminated air outside, a

process known as “shelter-inplace,” is a matter of survival.

Plan in advance where you will

take shelter in this kind of an

emergency. Choose an interior

room or one with as few 

windows and doors as possible.

Consider precutting plastic

sheeting to seal windows,

doors and air vents. Each piece

should be several inches larger

than the space you want to

cover so that it lies flat against

the wall. Label each piece with

the location of where it fits.

Use available information to

assess the situation. If you see

large amounts of debris in the

air, or if local authorities say

the air is badly contaminated,

you may want to “shelter-in-
place.” Quickly bring your 

family and pets inside, lock

doors, and close windows, air

vents and fireplace dampers.

Turn off air conditioning, forced

air heating systems, exhaust

fans and clothes dryers. Take

your emergency supplies and

go into the room you have 

designated. Seal all windows,

doors and vents with plastic

sheeting and duct tape or 

anything else you have on

hand. Listen to the TV, the

radio or check the Internet 

for instructions.

Getting Away

There may be conditions under

which you will decide to get

away, or there may be situations when you are ordered to

leave. Plan in advance how you

will assemble your family and

anticipate where you will go.

Choose several destinations in

different directions so you have

options in an emergency. If you

have a car, keep at least a half

tank of gas in it at all times.

Become familiar with alternate

routes as well as other means

of transportation out of your

area. If you do not have a car,

plan how you will leave if you

have to. Take your emergency

supply kit, unless you have 

reason to believe it has been

contaminated, and lock the

door behind you. Take pets with

you if you are told to evacuate,

however, if you are going to a

public shelter, keep in mind

that they may not be allowed

inside. If you believe the air

may be contaminated, drive

with your windows and vents

closed and keep the air conditioning and heater turned off. 

Working Together

Schools, daycare providers,

workplaces, neighborhoods and

apartment buildings, like 

individuals and families,

should all have site-specific

emergency plans. Ask about

plans at the places where your

family spends time: work,

school and other places you 

frequent. If none exist, consider

volunteering to help develop

one. You will be better prepared to reunite your family

and loved ones safely during an

emergency if you think ahead,

and communicate with others

in advance. 

Schools and Daycare

If you are a parent, or guardian

of an elderly or disabled adult,

make sure schools or daycare

providers have emergency

response plans. Ask how they

will communicate with families

during a crisis. Do they store

adequate food, water and other

emergency supplies? Find out

if they are prepared to “shelterin-place” if need be, and where

they plan to go if they must 

get away.

Employers

If you are an employer, make

sure your workplace has a

building evacuation plan that 

is regularly practiced. Take a

critical look at your heating

ventilation and air-conditioning

system to determine if it is

secure or if it could be feasibly

upgraded to better filter potential contaminants. Be sure you,

and others, know how to turn

off the system if necessary.

Think about what to do if your

employees can’t go home, and

make sure you have appropriate

supplies on hand.

Neighborhoods and

Apartment Buildings

A community working together

during an emergency also

makes sense. Talk to your

neighbors about how you can

work together. Find out if anyone has specialized equipment,

like a power generator, or

expertise such as medical

knowledge, that might help in

a crisis. Decide who will check

on elderly or disabled neighbors. Make backup plans for

children in case you can’t get

home in an emergency. Sharing

plans and communicating in

advance is a good strategy. 

www.ready.gov 7
Specific

Terrorist

Threats

It is important to remember,

there are significant 

differences among potential

terrorist threats that will 

influence the decisions you

make and the actions you

take. By beginning a process

of learning about these 

specific threats, you are

preparing yourself to react.

Biological Threat

A biological attack is the deliberate release of germs or other

biological substances that can

make you sick. Many agents

must be inhaled, enter through

a cut in the skin or be eaten to

make you sick. Some biological

agents, such as anthrax, do not

cause contagious diseases.

Others, like the smallpox virus,

can result in diseases you can

catch from people. 

Unlike an explosion, a biological attack may or may not be

immediately obvious. While it

is possible that you will see

signs of a biological attack, as

was sometimes the case with

the anthrax mailings, it is 

perhaps more likely that local

health care workers will report

a pattern of unusual illness or

there will be a wave of sick

people seeking emergency

medical attention. You will

probably learn of the danger

through an emergency radio or

TV broadcast or some other 

signal used in your community.

Perhaps you will get a phone

call or emergency response

workers may come door-to-door.

If you become aware of an

unusual or suspicious release

of an unknown substance 

nearby, it doesn’t hurt to 

protect yourself. Quickly get

away. Cover your mouth and

nose with layers of fabric that

can filter the air but still allow

breathing. Examples include

two to three layers of cotton

such as a t-shirt, handkerchief

or towel. Otherwise, several 

layers of tissue or paper towels

may help. Wash with soap and

water and contact authorities.

In the event of a biological

attack, public health officials

will provide information on

what you should do as quickly

as they can. However, it can

take time for them to determine

exactly what the illness is, how

it should be treated and who is

in danger. What you can do is

watch TV, listen to the radio or

check the Internet for official

news including the following:

Are you in the group or area

authorities consider in danger?

What are the signs and symptoms of the disease? Are 

medications or vaccines being

distributed? Where? Who

should get them? Where should

you seek emergency medical

care if you become sick? 

At the time of a declared biological emergency, if a family

member becomes sick, it is

important to be suspicious.

However, do not automatically

assume you should go to a 

hospital emergency room or

that any illness is the result 

of the biological attack.

Symptoms of many common 

illnesses may overlap. Use

common sense, practice good

hygiene and cleanliness to

avoid spreading germs, and

seek medical advice.
Chemical Threat

A chemical attack is the 

deliberate release of a toxic

gas, liquid or solid that can

poison people and the environment. Watch for signs of a

chemical attack such as many

people suffering from watery

eyes, twitching, choking, 

having trouble breathing or 

losing coordination. Many sick

or dead birds, fish or small 

animals are also cause for 

suspicion. If you see signs of a

chemical attack, quickly try to

define the impacted area or

where the chemical is coming

from, if possible. Take immediate action to get away from the

affected area. 

If the chemical is inside a

building where you are, try to

get out of the building without

passing through the contaminated area. Otherwise, it may

be better to move as far away

from where you suspect the

chemical release is and 

“shelter-in-place.” If you are

outside when you see signs of

a chemical attack, you must

quickly decide what is the

fastest way to get away from

the chemical threat. Consider if

you can get out of the area or

if it would be better to go

inside a building and follow

your plan to “shelter-in-place.” 

If your eyes are watering, your

skin is stinging, you are having

trouble breathing or you simply

think you may have been

exposed to a chemical, immediately strip and wash. Look for

a hose, fountain or any source

of water. Wash with soap, if

possible, but do not scrub the

chemical into your skin. Seek

emergency medical attention. 

Nuclear Blast

A nuclear blast is an explosion

with intense light and heat, a

damaging pressure wave and

widespread radioactive material

that can contaminate the air,

water and ground surfaces for

miles around. While experts

may predict at this time that a

nuclear attack is less likely

than others, terrorism by its

nature is unpredictable. If there

is a flash or fireball, take cover

immediately, below ground if

possible, though any shield or

shelter will help protect you

from the immediate effects of

the blast and the pressure

wave. In order to limit the

amount of radiation you are

exposed to, think about shielding, distance and time. If you

have a thick shield between

yourself and the radioactive

materials, it will absorb more of

the radiation and you will be

exposed to less. Similarly, the

farther away you are from the

blast and the fallout, the lower

your exposure. Finally, minimizing time spent exposed will 

also reduce your risk.

Radiation Threat or 

“Dirty Bomb” 

A radiation threat or “Dirty

Bomb” is the use of common

explosives to spread radioactive

materials over a targeted area.

It is not a nuclear blast. The

force of the explosion and

radioactive contamination will

be more localized. While the

blast will be immediately 

obvious, the presence of radiation may not be clearly defined

until trained personnel with

specialized equipment are on

the scene. As with any radiation, you want to try to limit

your exposure. Think about

shielding, distance and time.

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This common sense framework is 

designed to launch a process of 

learning about citizen preparedness. 

For the most current information 

and recommendations, go online to 

www.ready.gov or call toll-free

1-800-BE-READY (1-800-237-3239). 

In all Cases,

Remain Calm.

Be prepared to adapt this 

information to your personal 

circumstances and make 

every effort to follow instructions received from authorities

on the scene. Above all, stay

calm, be patient and think

before you act. With these 

simple preparations, you can 

be ready for the unexpected. 

If you have a working smoke

detector, you understand 

that preparing makes sense. 

Get ready now. 
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