Hurricane Response Guide for Environmental Public Health Professionals
Collaborate with medical professionals to address health needs and prevent disease outbreaks in shelter populations. Develop communication strategies to inform occupants about health risks, safety measures, and available resources. Identify and recommend necessary resources to maintain safe and healthy conditions in shelters. Ensure critical areas in the disaster shelter are identified (e.g., fire exits, pet holding or relief areas, isolation, smoking, hazardous substances). Verify that shelter facilities designated for house pets are identified and assessed to ensure they meet health and safety standards conducive to humane housing and protecting the health and safety of animals and their caretakers. Conduct regular reassessments and adapt EPH measures as needed based on changing conditions and emerging risks. Pro Tips Must Know Shelter Assessments EPH professionals play a crucial role in ensuring the health and safety of shelter occupants, staff, and volunteers throughout the shelter cycle. Their responsibilities include: 1. Assessing available facilities: Before or immediately after an emergency or disaster, responders help identify and assess potential shelter locations and their capacities, ensuring they have adequate support functions such as access, sanitation facilities, food services, and sleeping accommodations. 2. Pre-operational assessments: Ideally, responders should conduct assessments before a shelter opens to proactively identify and address health and safety issues. 3. Operational assessments: Once shelters are open, responders conduct routine assessments to ensure ongoing health and safety. The frequency of assessments depends on factors such as shelter size, type, and occupancy, with larger or higher-risk shelters requiring more frequent attention. 4. Using standardized tools: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Environmental Health Assessment Form for Shelters is a valuable tool for rapidly assessing conditions, identifying priorities, providing recommendations to shelter management, and documenting data for future planning. 5. Coordination with partners: EPH must work closely with shelter management and other partners to determine the appropriate nature and extent of EPH assessments for each shelter. Classifications, Estimated Space Requirements, and Typical Operation
Periods of Shelters Shelter Classification Evacuation Shelter General Population (Short-Term) Shelter General Population (Recovery Phase) Access and Functional Needs Shelter (AFN)
Sleeping Space Allocation Operation Period
20 ft 2 (4 x 5 ft)
24 hours before to 72 hours after event 72 hours after the event and beyond
40 ft 2 (4 x 10 ft)
60 - 100 ft 2 (Up to 10 x 10 ft) 24 hours after the event and beyond
Responder / Base Camps
40 ft 2 (4 x 10 ft)
Beginning of event and beyond
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