What is the best way to handle a situation where there is a sudden toxic fume release nearby, like an airplane crashes next door?
Posted by supinator1@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 41 comments
Currently everyone is talking about the UPS cargo airplane crash UPS 2976 in Louisville, Kentucky on 4-November-2025. I’m seeing dashcam footage for the airplane suddenly bursting into flames right in front of people and releasing noxious smoke. Another recent incident was the crash of Air India Flight 171 on 12-June-2025 which crashed into a medical school. In this situation, how do you best protect your lungs, other than evacuating and having a gas mask? Do you turn on your home air conditioner to try can get as much air through the HVAC filter? Do you turn on your car’s air conditioner with the air recirculating option to try and get as much air through the cabin air filter? How reasonable is it to seal your home against airborne chemicals or carry gas masks in your car? How long does a gas mask last and how many gas masks should you have for such a situation?
ZuckerStadt@reddit
This will sound a little crazy but I grew up doing shelter in place drills in elementary school due to the proximity of an oil refinery. When we heard the siren, we would all immediately sprint to the nearest classroom, turn off the a/c, cover the vents with cardboard then generously apply duct tape. While that was happening seal the windows with duct tape, get a head count of students and teachers, write it down and tape it to the outside of the door before we lock from the inside and use duct tape to seal around the frame of the door. It was a monthly drill and was put into practice 3 times while I was there.
Last-Form-5871@reddit
We have these at my factory the facility across the way has massive tanks of nitric acid. We have AC kill switches and crash kits for sealing off the break rooms where we shelter if there's a release. They have sirens as well.
OBotB@reddit
I think you need to reset your idea of "sound a little crazy" when current elementary, middle, and high school kids (in the US) have code red lockdown drills (in addition to the standard fire/tornado/weather drills). Sure they aren't taping seals and writing how many are in the rooms, but as a parent, I think I'd be happier if they only had to worry about your type of shelter in place drills. :/
speckit1994@reddit
You had to make it about you huh?
Apostate_Mage@reddit
I mean tbf they’ve been doing lockdown drills for years, it’s not a new thing.
Vegetable-Topic-140@reddit
FEMA has clear instructions here.
We all should have this basic gear stocked in our homes, much as we have fire extinguishers, flashlights, batteries and at least several days clean water.
Take a look, print it out and head over to your hardware store.
Practice hanging sheeting any going over steps that are unfamiliar to you. The time to figure out if you need a ladder, better scissors, or thicker sheeting is now, not when the emergency conditions are happening,
ServingTheMaster@reddit
GTFO
Enigma_xplorer@reddit
So let's play this out. I work at a facility that has a massive amount and extremely toxic anhydrous ammonia. That vast majority of the people around likely have no idea that we have it or what it even is or what it's properties are. If we ever had a mass release accident (which to be clear is very unlikely) we would potentially have to evacuate something like 5-10 miles which includes a major airport. The stuff is also delivered by truck which adds a whole new risk factor.
So where does that leave you? Not in a good place. Suppose your driving to work and the truck delivering the stuff rolls over and completely blows out it's contents. You have no idea what the truck is carrying. You have no idea it's even leaked out. You don't know what protective equipment is needed to keep you safe. By the time the authorities have been notified and have sent out an alert to people and redirected traffic away from the accident your either fine because you were far enough away and didn't need to do anything anyways or your seriously injured or dead. That's assuming you were even listening to the radio or had your cell phone and caught the alert in the first place. Basically, there wasn't much you could have done. Keep in mind, not even a gas mask would keep you safe as it's also a blister agent and will burn you in sufficient concentrations.
The point? It is very difficult to prepare for the type of incident you describe. When an incident happens there will be a delay in notification. By the time you are told of the danger you're already screwed if you're in the area. Secondly, you have no idea what these chemicals are or what equipment is needed to protect you. It's very hard to prepare and have the appropriate equipment on hand when you don't even know what you're preparing for. Lastly, while theoretically you may be able to don PPE to mitigate the danger or seal up the house to protect your home your best bet is to just leave. If a truly toxic substance is released you will be told to evacuate, period. Be prepared to leave in a hurry. If you have concerns like the aircraft crash where it is not known what the risks are leave now ask questions later.
pizza-sandwich@reddit
shelter in place. period.
tape door seams if they’re really leaky, turn off any HVAC systems, wait for the hazmat response to arrive. don’t go driving around. don’t leave your house. solid structures block hazmat really well for a long time.
1aba_rpger@reddit
Theres no one good answer. Different things in the air need different kinds of filtration. Just take a look at this 3m facemask spec sheet. 6 different kinds of filter cartridges, and thats commercial stuff.
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/respiratory-protection-us/support/center-for-respiratory-protection/respirator-selection/
Ularsing@reddit
That said, the Muti Gas/Vapor cartridges will handle the vast majority of hazards up to a certain concentration; they're just expensive.
Beyond some concentration limit (or for stuff that is more "poisonous" than just "hazardous"), you've got to be on SCUBA in a sealed suit.
Disinformation_Bot@reddit
Friendly correction, I think you mean SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus). The U (Underwater) is just for diving.
SCBA kits are much cheaper because they don't have to withstand external water pressure.
Ularsing@reddit
Good catch, thanks! (And TIL that it's actually different kit).
HalcyonKnights@reddit
Yeah, without knowing the actual danger, the only comprehensive protection is a Air-Supplied Respirator, specifically one with a Tank instead of the hose & compressor type that assumes you have clean airspace nearby. They are expensive and usually call for custom fitted masks, they are pretty common safety gear in a lot of industrial settings.
But while they might be fantastic to have while you're potentially driving through the poison smoke or chemical clouds, they wouldnt really be viable for anything long-term.
YYCADM21@reddit
Realistically, it's not going to happen. You will at best be able to minimize the damage by getting in your car, closing the vents, hitting recirc, and getting out of the area as fast as you can. It's nearly impossible to hermetically seal the average house/apartment without spending a lot of time and money, and you really don't want to eliminate airflow except in a couple of very specific circumstances
CadetThrowAwaway@reddit
A regular 3M respirator cartridge for organic vapors is good for about 8 hours as a rule of thumb. If you can taste the chemical obviously there has been breakthrough and the cartridge are not good.
Problems like these are relatively localized, there is going to be an evacuation radius and a shelter in place radius. The actual emergency managers in this sub can correct me if I'm wrong. But at the end of the day if you can put yourself a mile or two up wind of the incident you should be good.
I've researched the risk around me, and I live close enough to a train carrying LNG I know if there is a major derailment between Landmark A and B or C and D, I should button up as others have mentioned. I keep painters plastic on hand and duck tape for this purpose, in addition to being a tub liner for water storage under different circumstances. But If I can tell the incident has happened between B and C, the plan is to grab the bugout bag and pretty much run perpendicularly away from the tracks till I reach a certain landmark, with a rally point at a local park.
IMHO this is what Bugout bags are for, not to go live in the woods for an indeterminate amount of time, more of a "holy shit i need to leave now" type of bag that can sustain you in a hotel for 72 hours.
but yeah recirculating the air in your car should keep you safe enough to get out of harms way. Tesla's have a "biohazard" mode for this specifically. I would turn off AC in the house and close doors and windows, tape if you need to. 3M full face respirator with 60926 cartridges would probably cover you 95% of the time.
HazMatsMan@reddit
If there are air quality concerns or hazards, local emergency officials will advise you to shelter in a building, close the windows and turn off the HVAC.
Generally no but it depends on your HVAC system. If it draws in outside air and mixes it with indoor air (aprilaire, etc), definitely leave it off. If you don't know how your HVAC system works... leave it off.
No, leave your car's HVAC OFF. Your filters are not meant to filter chemicals. Crashed airplanes with hazmats, structure fires, refinery fires are not wildfires where a HEPAA filter will take care of it..
Depends on the filter, the chemical involved, the concentration of the chemical, etc. APRs are not supposed to be used for IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) concentrations. They are supposed to last at least 15 minutes at their challenge concentration before breakthrough. That doesn't mean it'll only last 15 minutes, but again, it depends on the conditions and situation.
It's not feasible to seal an entire house. Back in the early 2000s, there were recommendations to seal off a small room if a sarin or anthrax attack happened. It was only meant to be done for a few hours because it's extremely dangerous if you don't monitor the CO2 buildup from your exhalation.
OverallComplexities@reddit
For toxic fumes you need actual scuba gear like firefighters wear and to get out!
No type of filter is going to provide clean breathable air for you
ARGirlLOL@reddit
Definitely the opposite of cranking AC in either your car or home. Close vents, turn off fans, seal window panes and doorways with tape, cross fingers.
_head_@reddit
My thought about yesterday was if my house was directly in the smoke I would put my family in the car and drive away. Maybe increased exposure for a short time but I'm not confident in keeping the bad air out of the house for 24 hours. In the end the fire was out faster than I expected but that's what I would have done.
In a different emergency evacuation may not be possible, in which case you seal as well as you can and hope for the best.
Foreign-Cookie-2871@reddit
The problem in this case would be street traffic and getting stuck in the gases, in case there is a mass exodus
456name789@reddit
IMO, unless everything is on fire and you cannot leave, one should leave the area immediately regardless f what officials say.
Wooden-Sprinkles7901@reddit
That just reminded me of that train derailment in 2023 in the US where a train full of toxic chemical caught on fire. They played dumb and said everything was fine and within six months or less the story was buried. God only knows how many people will get cancer due to that, and the scary part is there is no way to quantify it.
TlpCon@reddit
In a last minute emergency take a wet towel and wrap it around your nose and mouth until you can clear the area of contamination.
phoneacct696969@reddit
I lived in an area that had this as a threat. We had our gobags ready at all times and knew the routes we could take to leave the area. We had mask, but evac was most important.
PurplePassport_0_0@reddit
If you have to stay in place, you should turn off any hvac systems and pick one room to seal off. Cover vents and windows with plastic, and seal and cracks from the door or anywhere else with duct tape to prevent any contaminated air getting inside.
The better option is still to get out of the polluted area and not be in harms way
MegaFawna@reddit
You leave and come back when the toxicity and danger has been dealt with.
dogsRgr8too@reddit
I have 3mil plastic sheets and duck tape for windows, doors, ceiling vents, dryer vents stove vent. Puppy pads for dogs to use. 😬. Your local emergency management agency should have reports of most likely hazardous conditions for your area and possibly how to respond. I'm still trying to get more organized.
This is where having a good supply of drinking water would be really important as well.
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Shelter in place. Duct tape everything. Exceptions.it is on fire. Under fire. Or the chemical agent is soaking through the roof.
Look up police officer anhydrous ammonia on YouTube. It is possible you might be in something less toxic. But you also might make it exactly this far. Or just have cancer in 10 years.
Usual-Wheel-7497@reddit
Don’t quite understand the air ducts. My A/C is a closed system with no outside air intake. The one in my classroom was also.
Spiley_spile@reddit
Sign up for every available emergency alert applicable to you. Im subscribed to local, national, and MyShake alerts.
For home, plasting sheeting, at least 6mil thick. Pre-cut it to the sizes needed to cover any applicable: doors, windows, vents, air conditioner too, etc. Keep a dedicated roll of duct tape with the plastic youve pre-cut. Replace this tape at least every 5 years. Every 3 years for extra assurance it will remain in top working order. Do dtills everyone in the home. If you're not home, your family/roommates need to know how to effectively, and swiftly deploy this shelter-in-place plan.
Time is of the essence. So your plan needs to account for how much of your home you'll be able to seal off in top speed. The fewer inlets for contaminated air, the lower your chance of failure and contamination. So I recommend sealing just 1 room.
If sealing off a room, equip it with 3 days of supplies, a portable toilet, water, shelf stable food that doesnt require cooking. A first aid kit. Emergency NOAA radio. Extra batteries for it plus power bank for your phone and headlamps, in case electricity is out. etc.
Shelter-in-place emergency alerts dont always clarify if you just need to stay home, or if you need to seal your home. It's best to assume it means to seal, unless the alert says otherwise.There was a local asbestos fire some years ago near me. The emergency alert I got just said to shelter in place. It didnt say why.
Other resources include the ERG 2024 app, and a wind tracker app for wind speed + direction. Making yourself familiar with these can greatly help if you're away from home. Certain chemicals rise, making is important for you to get low. Other chemicals sit low, making it important for you to get up high. Wind speed and direction can help you move away from danger altogether.
I used to have an app on my phone that it basically did all the figuring for me. I thought it was in an ERG-adjacent wind tracking app. But, Im not finding it in there now. (Definitely time for me to refamiliarize myself my resources, and keep an eye out for the department's next refresher training!)
Ryan_e3p@reddit
Depending on the incident.... bad things will happen.
If it is something like a train derailment hauling something like chlorine, yikes... That could kill you before you even wake up.
Chlorine gas leak at Jordan port kills 12, injures hundreds
GRANITEVILLE'S Darkest Hour - Train Disaster Documentary
SimpleVegetable5715@reddit
The Bhopal disaster always pops into my mind. The US just exported our toxic waste dumps to developing countries.
SimpleVegetable5715@reddit
My guess would be making positive air pressure in your home somehow. Grocery stores do this to keep bugs and dust out of the store. That’s why you feel that breeze when you walk in the door.
Cute-Consequence-184@reddit
If you live best there, then you know about the biogas collections at the dump.
You should already have your house somewhat protected as when the wind changes directions and they are overturning around 2AM, the smell will make you gag.
The fuel spilled there can get into the water supply. So you need to be careful and smell your water to check for smells. Louisville water is decent but if there is a crack in the line, the fuel can leach into the pipes and they won't catch it. Be prepared to not drink water if the smell is off.
So it is the basics. Turn off and cover all ACs. Cover windows, cover vents. Don't allow pets or kids outside. Be prepared to bug-out if the fire spreads.
Start fire protocols ASAP.
Take cars to a carwash and scrub them to get any fallout off the car.
Check the seals around doors skylights and windows for damage as diesel additives can cause the rubber to rot sometimes.
CindysandJuliesMom@reddit
We were advised yesterday to shelter in place, close all doors and windows, and turn off any HVAC. I live about 4 miles from where the crash happened and fortunately the smoke went another direction. It was black and thick and did not look friendly at all. If I had been in the path of the smoke I would have left for the night and gotten a hotel room.
For a major incident of air type pollution that will last more than half a day I would do the same with the addition of sealing the doors and windows with either plastic and duct tape or towels if I had no plastic. This assumes I could not escape the pollution.
iwantmy-2dollars@reddit
The CDC has excellent practical resources for radiation emergencies.
Things like limiting exposure by sheltering in place and creating a “safest” space in a more interior area. How to decontaminate if you need to leave. A lot of the preparation for this is knowledge IMHO.
For any scenario, knowing where the most likely areas are for trouble and what wind path would be unfavorable is helpful if you are able to get emergency updates.
Backsight-Foreskin@reddit
The bigger concern would be a derailment of a train carrying chemicals, such as what happened in East Palestine, OH in 2023 or the munitions factory fire in Jamestown, Pa, in 2013. The best prep would be to know the potential hazards in your area.
For most chemical incidents you would not want to go into a basement or other low lying area because the fumes are probably heavier than air. You would probably be better off going into a second floor room, closing windows, and turn off your HVAC system.
drmike0099@reddit
HVAC shouldn’t matter unless you have the newer energy recapture systems, in which case turn it off. Close everything, and you can use duct tape to seal windows and doors if it’s really dangerous (like nuclear). Air filters if there are particles.
For the fires, you’re probably going to get some of the air in unless your house is very well sealed. It’s not that toxic when diluted across your whole house, but the stink is awful.
Remote-Pipe1779@reddit
If it were that close, just leave and come back the next day. It’s temporary.
_ssuomynona_@reddit
I assume it would be same as nuclear fall out procedure. Seal drafts and stay.