How can you help rescuers find you if you are forced to shelter in place?

• A. Yell loudly to attract attention.
• B. Stay hidden and quiet.
• C. Shine a light through available windows to draw attention to your location.
• D. Break the window to signal rescuers.

Answer: (C)

When you’re sheltering in place, the aim is to make your location easily detectable to rescuers without putting you at additional risk. A light signal through available windows works well because it creates a visible beacon that can be spotted from outside, even from a distance or by aircraft or search teams in low-light conditions. It’s active but controllable—you can use a flashlight or indoor lights and keep curtains open so the glow is visible from outside, increasing the chances someone will notice you.

Yelling loudly can help if someone is nearby, but it’s unreliable over distance, through walls, or in windy or noisy conditions, and it can drain energy quickly. Staying hidden and quiet delays rescue because there’s nothing outside to cue rescuers to your location. Breaking a window is dangerous: it risks injury and exposure to elements, and it can create new hazards or legal concerns. Light signaling avoids these downsides while effectively drawing attention to where you are.