Another reason to be prepared:

I am currently reading Dare to Prepare by Holly Drennan Deyo, and just finished the part about emergency shelters. It's different from what I expected, and I didn't expect much from shelters to begin with. I never intend to end up in a shelter, but that doesn't mean anything.

She suggests bringing things not usually recommended here at ETS, and why.

1) She says that depending on the situation, shelters may only be able to provide water and snacks, "and some may not be able to provide any food whatsoever", and suggested you bring your own,including the usual 1 gal per day per person. Also bring eating & drinking utensils, paper plates, towels, napkins & an ice chest with ice. She said if you bring your gear in lidded 5-gallon buckets, you can use them for seats.

2) Along with your own hygiene products, bring your own toilet paper as "some shelters ran out during Hurricane Charley".

3) Keep all your medications in the original containers so if there is an incident, the shelter workers will know what and how much you're taking.

4) Shelter electrical outlets may be in high demand, or power non-existent, so keep a car charger adapter for your cell phone with you.

5) Security may be minimal to non-existent, so keep your cash and credit/atm cards on your person. Also, your car may not be safe in a shelter parking lot, so keep it in mind and don't leave valuables there, locked out of sight or not.

6) BYOB means bring your own bedding: blankets, sleeping bags, pillows for all family members. If you have someone with you who is infirm or has trouble getting up and down, bring a folding cot.

7) Bring several changes of clothing, as you may be there for a few days. Also bring the clothes you'll need for when you return home, for whatever conditions you're expecting.

8) Entertainment in the form of radios, TVs and computer games needs to be quiet, so don't forget the headsets.

Her lists are not really all-inclusive, but I guess she thought that over 500 pages was enough.

Sue

A question that seems to come up often reguarding shelters is weather or not those in charge can take things you bring with you to distribute to those without. It sounds bad to think about it but I've ran into people before who seem to expect that you give them your food/water/gear and those are the last people I tend to give things to, I will give someone in need if I can. I had roommates in college who thought everything was public property so I ended up having to hide things just to keep them otherwise I would be out of food the day after I bought it.

Good suggestions all. But if I've got that much stuff I doubt I'll be needing a public shelter.

I was thinking the same thing. If you need to provide all that equipment on your own, it sounds like going to a shelter is useless, and actually with the associated personal security risks even more counterproductive. If you have to have your own food, water, personal hygene supplies, bedding, entertainment, it seems like the only thing a public shelter can supply is literally shelter. If you can rig a cozy shelter for your family, I'd skip the evac shelter altogether.

Since our current lifestyle has us moving all over the place every few months, we rarely, if ever, even know where any type of shelter is. But is we did locate one, and need to go in, having all of our tent camping stuff (including a solar/battery/crank radio), at least three gallons of water, and three or more days worth of food, utensils, with a stove, would come in really handy...

I've helped on on shelter drills, a couple of shelter activations (very few 'customers') and some ERV stuff

Frankly, some stuff they will have too MUCH of - some they will be totally missing, and NO ONE will accurately know what is going on for at least the first 4-6 hours or so - until shelter A,B and C all report and say "we have 15 clients, but have 40 cots, are good on snacks, but have no meals and are low on toilet paper" - and shelter B says "We have 30 clients, only 20 cots, plenty of meals and TP" - and they get a truck to go from B to A with food and TP, and back with cots

Frankly, in the intital load out - they have to GUESS, and some things get mis packed - meals usually come later. They have kits for "N" people - cots, TP etc, and frankly, they ALWAYS have snack food on the trucks - Sometimes I think if I see another box of Oreo cookies, snack chips, hot cocoa, and instant coffee with powdered creamer....

I found a $75 high top cap and stuck it on my truck, it doesn't look pretty but in a worst case scenario I have a 5 wide by 6.5' long by 5' tall portable shelter with me at all times.

Eugene:
If there is Just you , you might get away with the pick-up cap, But if you have a family you have no place for your equipment. Better get a small trailer to pull behind the truck.

Susan do you recommend the book ? I have been interested in buying it but would like your feedback. Thanks Marv

I always thought that a trailer made out of an old pickup bed with a cap on it would make the perfect trailer. And if the P/U had a utility bed on it some much better. Cut down on the space inside, but all of those storage compartments on the side would be really nice...