Sheltering
• To provide safe and secure environment for
persons displaced due to a disaster.
• May be short or long term.
• Part of the initial response to a disaster.
American Red Cross’s
Role in Sheltering
• Co-lead of ESF-6, Mass Care Sheltering, with
FEMA. FEMA/ARC MOA
• ARC has MOU’s with many cities, school districts,
vendors, partner organizations. Both nationally,
and locally.
• Works with other organizations to provide for
emergency sheltering needs (i.e. Salvation Army,
Southern Baptist Convention, Disaster Children’s
Services, etc.)
American Red Cross’s
Role in Sheltering
• Coordinates closely with local government first
responders (i.e. Fire and Law Enforcement, etc.).
• Local Red Cross chapters provide mutual aid to
each other during larger disasters.
•National Red Cross also supports chapters during
major disasters. Disaster Operations Center (DOC)
National Shelter System
(NSS)
• National database of emergency shelter locations.
• Includes site-specific information on each shelter
location.
• This is the official Red Cross Shelter Information
for all Active shelters.
Basic Shelter/Mass Care
Terminology
• Shelters
• Evacuation Centers
• Warming/Cooling Centers
• Charging Centers
Shelters
• A “Shelter” is safe place for people affected by a
disaster to stay after being evacuated from their
homes.
• Shelters provide overnight lodging, meals, etc.
• Provide shelter to all members of the evacuated
community, including persons with Access and
Functional Needs.
•Usually opened in a school or city government site.
Shelters
• Include the following support functions, besides
lodging:
• Disaster Health Services
• Medication replacement, when applicable
• Support basic medical needs
• Disaster Mental Health Services
• Communications
• Can provide emergency communications
Feeding
• In shelters:
• Provide 3 meals per day
• Strive to offer culturally diverse meals whenever
possible.
• In shelters and Evacuation Centers:
• Provide snacks and fluids
“Evacuation Centers”
• An “Evacuation Center” is similar to a “Shelter”.
• It provides a temporary safe location for
evacuees to stay while an immediate threat is
mitigated.
• Usually opened for a matter of hours, and not
overnight.
• Can accommodate more people than shelter.
Other Centers
• Warming/Cooling Centers
• Not a Red Cross shelter, but may be supported by
the Red Cross.
• Usually part of a local government’s “Extreme
Weather” plan.
• Provides immediate warmth or cooling for people
when temperatures reach a certain trigger point, for
a certain length of time.
Other Centers
• Charging Centers
• Possible future type of center.
• Issue came from the recent widespread
windstorms/power outages.
• New media and smartphone usage.
• Not a Red Cross shelter, but may be supported by
the Red Cross.
Safe and Well
• Allows Shelter clients to leave a message for
loved ones.
• Use www.redcross.org
“ERV’s”
• ERV’s are multi-use vehicles that are used for mobile
feeding primarily.
• They can give out thousands of meals a day.
• Meals are prepared at another site (i.e. local vendor,
mobile disaster kitchen, etc.). Loaded in Cambros for
delivery.
• The ERV’s pick up the food and deliver it to where the
clients are located (Shelter, disaster site, etc.)
“Training”
• Standardized training offered to all Red Cross
volunteers in Shelter Operations, Mobile Feeding,
etc., nationwide.
• Ready When the Time Comes – Offers shelter
operations training to corporate employees. They
act as a force-multiplier during a major disaster.
• Partner Training- Red Cross trains government
employees to be shelter workers during a major
disaster.
“Disaster Dispatch”
• 24 Hour System that dispatches Red Cross
resources, nationwide.
• One 24-hour emergency contact phone number:
855 891-7325
Questions?
Ian Whyte
Emergency Services Officer/COO
Greater Long Beach/Rio Hondo Chapters
American Red Cross
Ian.Whyte@redcross.org