Has anyone ever actually been to one of these? What are they really like?

A recent thread indicated that what you bring could be confiscated. I'm not talking guns & knives, but useful things like granola bars and blankets. Is this true?

How do they operate? How do they feed everyone? What do they use for toilet facilities? Water? Power?

Just an overview of what it's like is all I'm looking for. Just curious, as I am not likely to abandon my pets for some reheated macaroni & cheese and a collection of screaming kids and complaining teenagers.

Sue

Susan, I was a volunteer for American Red Cross for many years. You will get fed at any shelter run by the ARC. Shelters are generaly in schools, churches, National Guard Armories and fairgrounds.
Any place that has space for a lot of folding cots and kitchen facilities. Shelter sites are picked ahead of time and factored into the overall Disaster Plan, so the School next to the chemical factory won't get picked. Some times shelter items like, cots, blankets, water, MRE's etc are pre positioned at the shelter site. Any other services such as medical aid, bottled water give away, etc are co-located. Shelter Management is a speciality within ARC with trained people to do it. For practice setting up a shelter is worked into disaster drills ,weekend "mini university" training days and apartment house fires also provide some practice. ARC actually has a well thought out training program. Initially you may get MRE's or food from local restuants, agreements with local restuarnts are made ahead of time. Life in a shelter is not great, but if it's your only choice it's O.K. No pets, alcohol, drugs or guns and not much privacy. And usually no showers. Generally, if you really don't need to be there, don't be there. Meals will also be driven out to the affected area in the ERV's (special ARC trucks). So people can eat while working to clean up their places. It takes time to get Mutual Aid from nearby ARC into the area, so PSK, BOB and 72 hour kits are essential. You might be told that you can't bring in a whole bunch of stuff, but nothing gets confiscated. As a matter of fact, ARC can only give out food that they have prepared. So all the cookies etc that nice people bring to the shelter get eaten by the ARC people, can't give it to the public since ARC doesn't know how it was prepared. The shelter people are happy when people show up with their own sleeping bags, flashlights, toy for child, etc. Hopefully the shelter has power or a generator, if not it's lanterns and flashlights. Whatever restroom facilities are there or porta potties. All these things go into sellecting shelters before hand and working the location, size, facilities available and access into the overall plan. Thigs tend to improve at a shelter as more aid arrives and people leave. That's what comes off the top of my head. Good question, thanks for asking.

Dave

Thank you very much, Dave! That's just what I wanted to know. It would have to be a drop-dead last resort for me to use a shelter, but it's really nice to know what to expect.

Sue

Last resort for me too. I'll take the MRE's, bottled water, etc. But, I'd rather live in a tent in my backyard.

Dave

Dave,

Does the ARC search anyone or their belongings? If I had a handgun, knife, and pepper spray and they were never visible would there be searches or metal detectors to try to find weapons?

Thanks!

The "No Pets" rule rules out that option for us. We're not going anywhere without our pets, a dog, a cat, and a box turtle. I understand the reason for the rule, however. We'll stick it out in the car. I'd rather be there than in a shelter, anyway.

A friend of mine insists pet vaccinations are a conspiracy hatched by pharmaceutical firms. <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> I have "discussed" this with her until I ran out of breath. I got nowhere. Go figure.

Has anyone else run into this kind of attitude?

-- Craig

I will probably get some flame for this but I'm going to say it anyway. It's important for people with small children to think of bug out, shelter and other similar situations realistically. I really like my dog but if comes down to abandoning the dog to do what's best for my two year old son, then, well, good luck dog, you're on your own. I would not hesitate or second guess that decision. When it comes to my little boy's safety it's an easy decision. Just my opinion of course.

Oops! Point taken. If you have children, of course, it's a different story. Your kids come first and they should. They are your legacy.

We don't have any kids. We are, as they say, "childfree" by choice. Our pets are our kids. Well, we spoil them just like they were kids, anyway, except we don't have to pay for college!

-- Craig

The Shelter mangaement people have their hands full. If you have a prohibited item that is seen, you will be asked to leave. The Police may asked to "assist" in your departure. ARC isn't interested in searching people or confiscating stuff. There is too much to do, if someone is a problem they will be dealt with. If you can drive to the shelter, items could be left locked in your car. I've never heard of metal detectors being set up. There is just way to many other things to do that actually help people, especially in the initial stages. You can always just show up for the food and water and leave. People have been known to take turns doing this to avoid bringing in a prohibited item.

Dave

Is it possible / useful for someone with no training to volunteer once at the shelter? I'd feel useless just sitting around. I mean, if nothing else, I can take out the trash or something.