If your organization is in an area that experiences hurricanes, you may want to offer your facility as a temporary shelter. Before doing so, however, consider whether you have the resources needed to provide a safe place for those seeking refuge. Church Mutual works with customers to determine whether their facility could be a good shelter.

A good first step is to contact the American Red Cross or similar local organizations to understand the requirements and processes for becoming a designated emergency shelter. Involving disaster response organizations provides expert guidance on shelter operations and can also provide a measure of liability protection.

If your facility meets the space and other requirements for serving as an emergency shelter, you should provide the following:

Areas where your guests can care for their personal needs

Not only do the people who are staying in your facility need places to use the bathroom, shower and sleep, but they also may require changing stations for young children. Additionally, there should be separate areas for registration and reception.

An emergency supply kit

Those using your shelter may need to stay for a just few hours, or they may be there for weeks. Create an emergency supply kit that includes:

• A three-day supply of safe drinking water, with at least one gallon for each person per day.
• A roster with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of everyone using the facility.
• An emergency supply kit.
• At least a three-day supply of food that does not require refrigeration.
• Extra clothing.
• Personal supplies, such as toothbrushes, deodorant, tissues and toilet paper.
• A wrench or pliers to turn off utilities if necessary.
• A flashlight.
• A battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with toner alert.
• Regular household bleach and a medicine dropper for water decontamination.

Adequate security

In the wake of some hurricanes, well-meaning organizations that have volunteered their facility as a shelter have found themselves in over their head. As a result, shelter guests became victims of theft and assault. If you do not have enough space to provide private quarters for all guests, you should have volunteers staffing your facility around the clock to provide proper security and protection. Offer guests a locked, secure space where they can store valuables.

A plan for housekeeping

While you likely already have custodial services for your facility, you will need extra help. Even a few people staying in your building for several days can create a mess; you should establish a cleaning schedule and stick to it.

A plan for responding to a medical emergency

Know the easiest way to transport guests to a local hospital. If transportation is impossible, find out if any staff, volunteers or guests have medical training. Church Mutual customers qualify for AED equipment discounts and compliance assistance through our AEDSuperstore® partnership.

While serving as an emergency shelter can be helpful, it also takes careful preparation and engagement with a number of volunteers. Click here to learn more about becoming an emergency shelter to help ensure you are fully prepared for the responsibility.

Read more about hurricane safety, preparedness and recovery:

• Hurricane safety and preparedness.
• Conduct a hurricane tabletop exercise.
• Last-minute hurricane preparation.
• Recovering after a hurricane.

What is your organization doing to prepare for severe weather?

Prepare and protect your organization from nature’s destructive forces by viewing our 10 Essentials of Severe Weather Preparedness. Then take action and step up your severe weather and natural disaster preparedness efforts by using our Severe Weather Preparedness Assessment to see what your organization has covered and discover areas that may need attention.

IMPORTANT: Keeping your organization’s contact information up to date with your insurance provider helps them serve you better, especially if they attempt to contact you before, during or after a weather event.

Additional resources:

• Your Guide to Severe Weather Preparedness: Protect Your People and Property.
• Prepare Your Business Annually Before Hurricane Season | Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).
• Hurricane Ready Business Prep Checklist | IBHS.

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The information contained in these materials is intended solely to provide general guidance on topics that may be of interest to you. While we have made reasonable efforts to present accurate and reliable information, Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its affiliates disclaim all liability for any errors or omissions or for any actions you take or fail to take based on these materials. The information provided may not apply to your particular facts or circumstances; therefore, you should seek professional advice prior to relying on any information that may be found in these materials.