As a member of one of the "un/underprepared local/state/federal government relief agencies" I take strong exception to your comments. <br>Unfortunately, many people have no option in an evacuation but to go to a public shelter. We have frequent experience with evacuation here in coastal North Carolina due to hurricanes. Public shelters are a reality for most folks as everyone can't evacuate several hundred miles to avoid the effects of the storm due to traffic and other factors. <br>When Hurricane Floyd hit us a couple years ago, I had to protect my office and home first and then make a decision about evacuation. My choice was made for me by the tremendous traffic jam on the highways. We rode out the storm at home.<br>There were tens of thousands of people living in shelters for weeks following the storm. All being cared for by volunteers.<br>People evacuating to a shelter are responsible for their own food, medications, clothing, and water during their stay. We (NC-1 DMAT) provided medical care and distributed food (MRE's), water, and sanitation and infant care supplies for weeks to shelter bound refugees.<br>In large part, the refugees were unprepared and inequipped for their shelter stay.