UPDATE ON EMERGENCY SHELTERS

By Nadin Abbott

October 3, 2013 (San Diego) As we noted in an earlier article, we approached the County about a disturbing trend we found of shelters not being open after they were announced as shelters during emergencies:

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/13952

After presenting our concerns to the Supervisors, we followed through with the County and did a public records request for correspondence or other records regarding the shelters found closed.

William L. Pettingill, Senior Deputy County Counsel, stated that “So far, indications are that communications with the Red Cross generally occur by telephone in fast-moving situations.”

While I understand this, having done this job myself, I suspect that there is an easy solution to this, though it will add a bit of work on the County side: both the County and the Red Cross should just have a dispatch log.

Without something like an actual log there is almost no accountability. Suffice it to say we at ECM will now make visiting shelter locations a must every time we cover a major event where one is set up, whether it is the low end Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP) or a full shelter.

Without a log or other records, we can’t tell you why shelters were shut down early during two recent wildfires in which residents could not return to their homes overnight.

The request did produce an e-mail from the American Red Cross regarding the situation at Mount Helix on Labor Day, when a shooter forced some to evacuate homes overnight.  Below is the e-mail in full.

From: Ponce, Cruz 

Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 8:53 AM

To: 'Place, Stasia'

Cc: Luthye, Curt

Subject: RE: Mt. Helix SWAT event

Without having my notes , here are the highlight notes from memory:

[First of all a shelter was never open, it was set up as a Temporary Evacuation Point only.]

Initial request for support from the SO was for Canteen services at the Elementary school only.

Initial conversations  were had that we would open a TEP toward the afternoon or evening if the event was not resolved by then.

However early in those conversations we discussed whether to set up a shelter or TEP.  If the number of people was low that we would just put them at a hotel.

We also discussed setting the TEP at a different area at the Elementary, however at this time they were also looking at moving the ICP and Canteen.

He also mentioned that a representative from Skyline Church had approached them letting them know that they would be willing to open their doors for sheltering needs.

I let him now that we have had a history with them and had conversations with Skyline becoming a partner with ARC. So this would be great with us.

The decision was made to open the TEP (not a shelter) at Skyline. The SO contacted the representative to open the gates and the room accessible to us.  Our ARC staff (two members) had to wait for the Skyline representative to open the gates, they were physically at the site.  The SO contacted the Skyline member again , and then they sent someone out.  Light Hydrations and snacks were pulled from the Canteen at the ICP in case anyone showed up at the TEP.  From about 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. about 6 people showed up and left soon after they arrived, they told our ARC members they had a place to stay.  Since we had no clients at the TEP , I had a conversation with the SO and it was agreed between both of us to close it down. With the decision that if anyone contacted them, stating they had nowhere to stay , that they would relay the information to us , and we would put them up in a hotel.  We did not receive any calls with this request.

Please feel free to call me with any additional questions or concerns.

Regards,

Cruz Ponce 

Manager, Community Response Program

Disaster Services