Planning Notes

ANNEX C

Shelter and Mass Care

[These planning notes are intended as an aid in developing this document. They are not part of the annex and should not be included in your emergency management plan. These notes should not be sent with your annex and checklist to your District Coordinator for review. This template was revised in March, 2006 and updated in March, 2013]

Planning Notes 

Annex C – Shelter & Mass Care

1.	General

A.	Throughout the sample annex, brackets are used to highlight text that should be tailored for local circumstances.  For example, if the annex text indicates [County Judge/Mayor], County Judge will typically be deleted for municipal plans, while Mayor will typically deleted from county plans.  For interjurisdictional plans, the entry should be reworked to describe local practice.  Hence, in an interjurisdictional plan, the entry [County Judge/Mayor] might be replaced by County Judge and Mayors, County Judge or Mayors, County Judge, assisted by Mayors, or other text depending on local practice.  

B.	The entry [county/city] should be replaced with an appropriate jurisdiction name, either the city name, the county name, or the terms ‘this city’ or ‘this county.’  For interjurisdictional plans (a county and one or more cities), normal practice is to either enter the county name alone or enter the county name followed by the phrase “and cities adhering to this plan” or something similar to avoid having a lengthy list of cities repeated throughout the annex.  In some instances, the term ‘we’ may be a suitable substitute for the city or county name.

C.	If you do not plan to request the American Red Cross (ARC) conduct shelter and mass care operations, but rather local government or some other volunteer group will perform this function, modify the text dealing that deals with the role of the ARC in sheltering and mass care accordingly.  You need to clearly describe how the shelter and mass care function will be carried out.

2.	Specific

A.	Section I.  Add any local authorities pertinent to the subject of this annex. 

B.	Section III.  Add to subsection A any acronyms that you have added to the sample annex.  Define any terms added to the annex that require explanation in subsection B.

C.	Section IV.A.1.   If you are not a planned destination for hurricane evacuees, then delete the third sentence.  If you are, then fill in the names of counties from where hurricane evacuees are likely to originate.  Example: Our area is an expected destination for hurricane evacuees from Harris, Brazoria, and Galveston counties.

D.	Section V.A.7.  If you are not a destination for hurricane evacuees, then delete this paragraph.

E.	Section V.E.1.  Identify by position who will coordinate arrangements for pets.

F.	Section V.E.2.  Delete options for handling evacuees with pets that will not be used in your jurisdiction.  In subsection c, indicate which local facilities will be used to house pets.

G.	Section VI.B.  Job titles should be modified to conform to your local organizational arrangements.  Task assignments should be modified as necessary to accurately describe who will perform the task; task assignments should be consistent with those made in your Basic Plan.

H.	Section VI.B.13.   Although the ARC has been chartered under federal law to provide shelter and mass care to victims of natural disasters, it is desirable to have a simple document that outlines what you can expect from them and they can expect from you.  See Attachment 2 to these planning notes for further information and a sample agreement. 

I.	Section VI.B.16.   Add a description of the shelter and mass care services that you expect volunteer groups to provide.  This section should be consistent with any agreements or memoranda of understanding that you have signed with those groups that appear in Appendix 2.  See Attachment 2 to these planning notes for further information on agreements and memoranda and a sample agreement.

J.	Section VII.B.  It is recommended that the line of succession be at least 3 deep.

K.	Section IX.B.1.  The ARC will normally use ARC Form 5975, Mass Care Activity Report, to report shelter occupancy and the number of meals served.  Some other volunteer organizations have their own report forms for reporting this information and some groups have no reporting requirements or forms.  If you are working with groups that do not have suitable reporting forms, lay out your specific reporting requirements in this section.

L.	Section X.A.  Identify the specific individual by position who has primary responsibility for the shelter and mass care function and, thus, maintaining this annex.

M.	Section XI.  Add any additional references that you consider pertinent to the subject of this annex.

N.	Appendix 1 – Reception & Care Facilities.   In the Facilities List, delete the sample information and enter data for your local facilities.  If some items of information are unknown, so indicate.

O.	Appendix 2 – Shelter & Mass Care Agreements & Memoranda.

1)	Facility Agreements. 

a)	Local governments may execute facilities agreements with the ARC or other volunteer groups to provide government-owned buildings for use as shelter and mass care facilities. See the sample facility use agreement in Attachment 1 to these planning notes.   The sample  agreement was developed by the ARC to provide a basis for it to use facilities owned by schools, churches, local governments, and others for shelter and mass care operations.  

b)	If you plan to have an organization other than the ARC conduct shelter and mass care operations in government-owned buildings, you may wish to conclude a similar written agreement with that organization.  The ARC agreement might be used as a basis.

2)	Agreements for Volunteer Group Shelter & Mass Care Support.

If you are relying on volunteer groups to support shelter and mass care operations, it is desirable to develop memoranda of understanding (MOU) with those groups to clearly lay out the tasks they are willing to perform and what tasks the government will perform to assist them.  Such agreements provide a basis of common understanding necessary for effective planning by both parties.  A sample Memorandum of Understanding for Shelter and Mass Care Activities is provided in Attachment 2 to these planning notes.

3)	Copies of any facility use agreements and memoranda that you have executed should be included in Appendix 2.  Summaries of these documents should be included in Attachment 6 to the Basic Plan.

P.	Appendix 3 - Hurricane Reception and Care.  A hurricane reception and care appendix should be included in this annex if your is a primary destination for hurricane evacuees.  Existing hurricane reception and care appendices may have a number other than Appendix 3.  If this is the case, either revise the list of appendices in this annex or the renumber the existing annex.  Existing appendices should be used until revised planning guidance for hurricane reception and care is published.

Attachment 1

SAMPLE FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT

American Red Cross
STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT FOR 
THE USE OF FACILITIES AS MASS CARE SHELTERS

This Agreement is made and entered into between the governing board of___(school district, church, other organization)___ of (City/County), State of Texas, and the ______________ Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Recitals

Pursuant to the terms of federal statutes, the American Red Cross provides emergency services in behalf of individuals and families who are victims of disaster. __(Official)____is authorized to permit the American Red Cross to use _(school district, church, other organization)__’s buildings, grounds, and equipment for mass care shelters required in the conduct of American Red Cross Disaster Services activities, and wishes to cooperate with the American Red Cross for such purposes.

The parties hereto mutually desire to reach an understanding that will result in making the aforesaid facilities of __(school district, church, other organization)__available to the American Red Cross for the aforesaid use. Now, therefore, it is mutually agreed between the parties as follows:

1. _______________________ agrees that, after meeting its responsibilities to pupils/parishioners/members/clients, it will permit, to the extent of its ability and upon request by the American Red Cross, the use of its physical facilities by the American Red Cross as mass shelters for the victims of disasters.*

2. The American Red Cross agrees that it shall exercise reasonable care in the conduct of its activities in such facilities and further agrees to replace or reimburse__(school district, church, other organization)__for any foods or supplies that may be used by the American Red Cross in the conduct of its relief activities in said mass shelters.

3. (If necessary to include this Section, review Attachment 1) Notwithstanding any other agreements, the_______________ Chapter of American Red Cross agrees to defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the __(school district, church, other organization)____against any legal liability in respect to bodily injury, death, and property damage, arising from the negligence of the said chapter during its use of the property belonging to the said __(school district, church, other organization)_.
In witness thereof, the governing board of the __(school district, church, other organization)____
has caused this agreement to be executed by the President/Chairperson/Other of its governing board, and the American Red Cross has caused this agreement to be executed by the ___________________Chapter, and said agreement is to become effective and operative upon the fixing of the last signature hereto.

.
Signatures to the Agreement:

______________________________________	___________________________________
Chairperson						President/Chairperson/Owner

______________________________________	___________________________________
Chapter/American Red Cross Unit			School District/Church/Other Organization

______________________________________	___________________________________
Date							Date

*Add “and peacetime radiological emergencies/nuclear accident” when applicable.

ATTACHMENT 2

SAMPLE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
FOR SHELTER & MASS CARE ACTIVITIES 

This Memorandum of Understanding is made and entered into between 	county or city name	, referred hereinafter as the [County/City] and 		volunteer or charitable organization name	, referred hereinafter as the Organization.

The [County/City] desires the assistance of volunteer and charitable organizations in providing shelter and mass care for the members of public affected by emergency situations.  The Organization wishes to volunteer its resources for such purposes during emergency situations.  The purpose of this memorandum is to outline the actions that each party is willing to undertake with respect to shelter and mass care operations as a basis for further planning and preparation by both parties.

When requested by an authorized representative of the [County/City], the Organization will use its best efforts to provide the following services for disaster victims:

	Activate and operate temporary shelters and register people using those shelters.
	Activate and operate mass feeding facilities a fixed site or sites.
	Activate and operate a mobile feeding facility.
	Provide meal preparation facilities to feed victims lodged in other facilities.
	Provide replacement clothing.
	Provide replacement furnishing and household goods.
	Provide crisis counseling.
	Provide assistance in home cleanup.
	Provide assistance with home repairs.
	Provide assistance in caring for pets of persons displaced from their homes.
	Receive, sort, and distribute goods donated for disaster victims.
	Other (describe):

	Other (describe):

	Participate in pre-disaster shelter and mass care planning with the [County/City]. 
 	During emergency operations, provide periodic reports on its shelter and mass care
activities to the Shelter Officer in the Emergency Operating Center. 

The [County/City] will use its best efforts to:

	Where possible, provide advance warning to the Organization of the possible need for
	shelter and mass care operations so that the Organization may mobilize its resources. 
	Provide security for shelter and mass care facilities.
	Provide fire inspections for shelter and mass care facilities.
	Provide traffic control in the vicinity of shelter and mass care facilities.
	Provide information to disaster victims through the media on what they should bring and should not bring to shelter and mass care facilities.
	Provide or arrange transportation for shelter and mass care equipment and supplies that cannot be transported by the Organization.
	Coordinate with state and federal agencies to obtain supplementary food supplies, if 
required.
	To the extent possible, ensure utilities are operable at shelter and mass care facilities.
	Provide updated information on the emergency situation to shelter managers to be
passed on to shelter occupants.	
	Invite volunteer and charitable organizations to participate in periodic emergency 
exercises to test plans, procedures, and coordination.
	Other (describe):

	Other (describe):

In witness of these understandings, the authorized representative of governing board of the Organization and the chief elected official of the [County/City] have fixed their signatures to this memorandum, which shall become effective and operative upon the fixing of the last signature hereto.

______________________________________	___________________________________
President, Chairperson				[County Judge/Mayor] 

______________________________________	___________________________________
Organization						[	      County/City of		]   

______________________________________	___________________________________
Date							Date