LOCAL SHELTER ISSUES
Emergency
Public Shelters
The
active hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 have shown us that it is absolutely
necessary to prepare an evacuation plan before hurricane season arrives. It is important to have several options, in
case your first choice does not work out.
If your first options do not work and you have no other safe place to
go, you should go to a Charlotte County Emergency Public Shelter. The shelter is a safe place to be during a
storm; however,
it offers only the basic life sustaining necessities. It is likely the shelter will not have
electricity for the majority of time you are there. Also make sure the shelter where you plan
to go is open. All listed shelters
will not open for every storm. Listen
to local radio and television to hear which shelters have been opened. Remember,
Anyone
that lived here during the 2004-2005 hurricane season knows how stressful it
is before, during and after the storm.
That is compounded when you are living in a shelter with many other
people who are experiencing the same feelings. Being considerate of others and having a
positive attitude will be helpful to everyone. Volunteer to help whenever possible. Listen for official information and do not
participate in gossip or rumors, which can be very disruptive. x Weapons, smoking
and alcoholic beverages are prohibited at all shelters. People with Special Needs Some
people have medical issues that cannot be accommodated in a regular public
shelter. For those people whose health
would quickly and dramatically deteriorate in a public shelter and have no
other safe place to go, there are Special Care shelters available. You must complete an application to see if
your medical issues qualify for a Special Care shelter. There are specific criteria and
requirements to be eligible for the Special Care shelter, which may vary
somewhat from county to county. You
must have a caregiver with you during your stay at the Special Care
shelter. During an emergency we have
very limited staff working in the shelters, so your caregiver is critically
important for your health and safety.
There is limited hospital sheltering for people who are extremely high
risk and cannot survive outside a hospital environment. Your physician must recommend hospital
sheltering and give specific details of your medical situation. You may be responsible for fees associated
with hospital sheltering. As at any
other shelter, you must bring your emergency supplies with you. In any emergency situation you should have
a plan for where you will go if you cannot return to your home because of
damage. Your local Emergency
Management office can help you register and answer any questions.
Our
brochure will help you decide if you are a candidate for a Special Care
Shelter. Click
here to print the brochure: Brochure for
People with Special Needs If your physician
decides that you need to be cared for in a hospital, he/she must arrange pre-admittance and must
give you a script stating you are to be taken to the hospital. This script must be dated for the current
year and must accompany you to the hospital.
You are also required to bring a caregiver with you to take care of
you and your needs while at the hospital.
There
will be no accommodations for the caregiver, so they must bring their own
cot/sleeping bag, blankets, towels, personal hygiene items, snacks, etc. People with Disabilities Estimates
vary, but as many as one in four people live with some type of
disability. Sometimes signs are
obvious, a wheelchair, a guide dog or a cane.
However, many times, a disability is not obvious. Whether obvious or not, awareness and
sensitivity toward persons with disabilities makes good sense. Practicing disability etiquette is an easy
way to help people with disabilities feel more welcome and comfortable. Here are a few things anyone can do to make
a person with a disability feel more at ease in any situation. Remember, a person with a disability is a
person first. Ask before you help. Don’t
assume a person with a disability needs your help with a task. If you are asked for help, be sure to ask
what kind of assistance is needed. Be sensitive regarding personal space
and physical contact. Respect personal space and remember that
people often consider their equipment part of their person. Think before you speak. Speak to
the person, not their aide or companion.
Converse with a person with a disability as you would any other
person. Get permission from a parent
or guardian before interacting with children. People
with disabilities must assume personal responsibility and be prepared for an
emergency. The basic steps of a
personal safety plan are the same for everyone. Where will you go? How will you get there? What will you take? How much time will you need? How will you communicate with those who
need to know? With
minor modifications, the information in this Guide is applicable to everyone.
You must take responsibility for yourself in an emergency. Part of any plan is to identify and use all
available resources. If you need help
or have questions, contact your local Emergency Management agency. There are people and tools to help you
become better prepared. For more information, visit: http://www.floridadisaster.org/Disability/video/index.htm Transportation There
are several modes of shelter transportation available during an
evacuation. If you cannot find
transportation, Charlotte County Transit buses will pickup people throughout
the County and drop off at the Emergency Public Shelters free of charge. You can request transportation by completing
the Special Needs Application and requesting transportation to an Emergency
Public Shelter. If
you are a person with Special Needs, you can request transportation to the
Special Care Shelter when you complete the application. Your request will be evaluated and you will
be assigned appropriate transportation based upon the information on your
application. You will be notified that
your transportation will arrive during a block of time. You must be ready to leave when your
transportation arrives, so make sure all your shelter items are ready. You are responsible for carrying all your
own belongings, so pack carefully and do not bring more items than you can
manage.
In
a hurricane pets are subject to the same hazards as people and have many of
the same needs. Remember, you cannot
bring your pets to the shelter and you may be away from home for a number of
days. The best plan is to identify a
safe location to evacuate to that allows pets, such as a friend’s home or a
pet friendly hotel. You can check the
internet for sites such as www.pets-allowed-hotels.com/ to find a hotel outside the evacuation
area.
Remember:
All animal facilities in the path of a hurricane are subject to
some degree of damage or flooding.
Keep in mind, boarding kennels and animal hospitals may be without
electricity or potable water and have limited personnel and supplies for days
to weeks following a disaster. 7[previous] [table of contents] [next]8 |
|
|
