# What does it mean: Senate will shelter in place **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 16, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006 "2013-09-16T21:16:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/1 "2013-09-16T21:16:48Z")
Due to the most recent mass shootings in DC, the Senate will shelter in place. I assume mostly no one is allowed in or out. If the emergency lasts long enough, they’ll spend the night? Are there ample luxury guest quarters deep underground? Will the senators be walking around in their underwear sleeping in hallways? Will it descend into a feral, cannibalistic Resident Evil zombie apocalypse horror house? What are the emergency digs like? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/2 "2013-09-16T21:37:22Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Will it descend into a feral, cannibalistic Resident Evil zombie apocalypse horror house? Wasn’t it always? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/3 "2013-09-17T06:25:47Z")
Well? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/4 "2013-09-17T09:30:30Z")
I can’t answer. My brain locked up on the image of the old geezers who make up the Senate wandering around the hallways in their underwear. Like an out of control old folks home, but with better wood paneling. :eek: _:::shudders::::_ ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/5 "2013-09-17T14:51:48Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well? Was this a serious question? “Shelter in place” just means that the authorities are saying that it’s safer for you to stay put in your office rather than to evacuate. It does not imply that there are any emergency guest quarters, or any facilities at all for sleeping. My wife’s building was under an SIP direction yesterday, and they are just an ordinary workplace. There were apparently a few thousand Navy Yard personnel who didn’t leave until 9 p.m. or later yesterday, and they were just keeping their heads down and presumably living off vending machines and break room tap water. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/6 "2013-09-17T15:21:34Z")
That said, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Capitol Building had a bunker facility of some sort on site, where the entire Congress could shelter in safety (if not comfort) for an extended time. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/7 "2013-09-17T15:31:55Z")
They have a cafeteria and some underground rooms, I imagine they could hunker down in comfort for a couple days if needed. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/8 "2013-09-17T15:40:48Z")
Just for the record it isn’t just senators who do this. It’s part of general federal emergency policy. I work in a federal building (no special bunkers just a regular office building) and get emails now and then about emergency procedures that include what we should do if we are directed to evacuate or directed to shelter in place. In the later case, you just hang out at the office until directed to do otherwise. If it goes on long enough you might theoretically need to sleep in your office and live off whatever snacks you have available. Note that its not only concern of attack that can lead to a shelter in place order. A sudden severe snow storm can possibly lead to a shelter in place order until the roads get clear. All it really means is that it is safer to stay where you are rather than go out and about. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/9 "2013-09-17T15:42:35Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > They have a cafeteria and some underground rooms, I imagine they could hunker down in comfort for a couple days if needed. And a nice gym, with Sauna and Steam Room. They’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/10 "2013-09-17T16:15:19Z")
Maybe they can actually get some legislating done. Ah, who am I kidding? ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/11 "2013-09-17T16:44:42Z")
In the capital, they probably go to the interior offices. Government offices are supposed to have “shelter in place” areas that are easy to get to, safer places within the building. In my office, my “shelter in place” area is the copy room in the center of the building. It is away from windows (helps against tornados and snipers), is close to the structural supports of the building (helps in earthquakes?) where the stairwells are (for fires.) Basically, when they say shelter in place, we all go hang out in the copy room and make bad jokes for a while, rather than the run for the exists like we do in a fire drill. This way they know where to find all the bodies when the building collapses. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/12 "2013-09-17T18:22:55Z")
Wait — You mean they’re going to let them out after it’s all over? Why? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/13 "2013-09-18T14:57:42Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Was this a serious question? “Shelter in place” just means that the authorities are saying that it’s safer for you to stay put in your office rather than to evacuate. It does not imply that there are any emergency guest quarters, or any facilities at all for sleeping. My wife’s building was under an SIP direction yesterday, and they are just an ordinary workplace. There were apparently a few thousand Navy Yard personnel who didn’t leave until 9 p.m. or later yesterday, and they were just keeping their heads down and presumably living off vending machines and break room tap water. Yes, it really was a serious question. I’ve never been told to shelter in place, although it’s easy to understand. But, I don’t know what it might have meant for the Senate, or whether they’re equipped for something like that long-term. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/14 "2013-09-18T15:06:39Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yes, it really was a serious question. I’ve never been told to shelter in place, although it’s easy to understand. But, I don’t know what it might have meant for the Senate, or whether they’re equipped for something like that long-term. Got it. I just didn’t want to give a cluelessly nerdy response if the thread was supposed to be for humorous speculation. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/15 "2013-09-18T15:44:47Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Got it. I just didn’t want to give a cluelessly nerdy response if the thread was supposed to be for humorous speculation. Nothing wrong with humorous speculation either! ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/16 "2013-09-18T16:15:23Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > There were apparently a few thousand Navy Yard personnel who didn’t leave until 9 p.m. or later yesterday, and they were just keeping their heads down and presumably living off vending machines and break room tap water. Times like this make you reassess stock levels for essential items like toilet paper. A pallet of cases of rolls seems like a lot of toilet paper when you look at it- but three days later, a few thousand people would be tearing up magazines. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/17 "2013-09-19T05:17:10Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > And a nice gym, with Sauna and Steam Room. They’ll be fine. Oh yeah. Anthony Weiner’s downfall sort of started in that sauna and steam room area. Damn camera phones, how they tempt us. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/18 "2013-09-23T15:31:21Z")
A big slumber party! Just picturing Ted Cruz in a babydoll nightie- where’s that vomit smilie? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-senate-will-shelter-in-place/669006/19 "2013-09-23T15:37:16Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > In the capital, they probably go to the interior offices. > > In my office, my “shelter in place” area is the copy room in the center of the building. It is away from windows ( **helps against tornados and snipers** ), Read that bit as “helps against tornados and **spiders** ” and I thought “whoa, what type of huge-ass spiders do you have???”