The Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission (MERC) and the American Red Cross (ARC) Oregon Trail Chapter have signed a partnership to provide a ‘mega-shelter’ to provide response and coordination of services and operations during major emergency and disaster relief efforts in Oregon.

There were no precedents prior to Hurricane Katrina for operating large evacuation centers or 'mega shelters' to manage the needs of thousands of people being sent to arenas, stadiums and convention centers during and after the storm. The term mega-shelter was created during the Katrina response to differentiate the capacity of large evacuation facilities - that can shelter over 2,000 - from traditional sites like schools and churches.

In the months that followed hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, leaders from the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM) and the American Red Cross worked to developed new best practice guidelines for operating mega shelters and providing emergency assistance during large scale disasters.

"Hurricane Katrina taught us that when people are devastated by a major disaster, they need managers from the area's large public assembly facilities and emergency response organizations to function as a team to adequately meet their needs," said Robyn Williams, IAAM first vice president and a MERC facility manager. "MERC's arrangement with ARC Oregon Trail Chapter helps ensure that we can mobilize the professional expertise and facility services capacity of our region's public assembly venues when major emergency response infrastructure is needed in our community."

The cooperative agreement between MERC and the ARC Oregon Trail Chapter creates provisions and conditions to ensure that both agencies work effectively before, during and after disaster events where human suffering and human needs cannot be alleviated without assistance. The core focus of the agreement provides for collaboration and services that will ensure effective use of the public venues in a disaster situation. MERC has agreed to provide the following assistance to the American Red Cross during disaster relief efforts:

* Use of its kitchen facilities and staff for meal preparation
* Assistance with mobile or fixed feeding operations
* Use of indoor space for disaster relief facilities
* Use of parking areas for disaster relief
* Personnel for disaster relief efforts

The agreement also provides for emergency preparedness exercises and other planning activities and calls for maintaining close interaction and liaison between the organizations at all levels to share data and knowledge about disasters, disaster declarations, and legislative information relevant to the partnership.

http://www.mercvenues.org
http://www.redcross-pdx.org

•Date: 16th October 2007• Region:US/ World •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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