OKC Evacuees Support Shelter Update

Shelter Status: The City of Oklahoma City and community agencies are providing temporary shelter and critical services for individuals evacuated from New Orleans, Louisiana and the surrounding area. To date, more than 1,600 people have arrived on 36 buses.

Services Information:

Meals: Guests are provided three meals daily. The Salvation Army is providing breakfast through Friday. Snacks and cold bottled water are also being provided throughout the day. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is preparing lunch and dinner. Volunteers with the American Red Cross are serving the meals.

Beds: The Tulsa and Central Oklahoma chapters of the American Red Cross and the State Department of Emergency Management provided cots and blankets.
Hygiene: Arrangements for a portable shower have been made. Nearly 100 portable toilets are located outside. Hand sanitizer is also widely available throughout the facility. Oklahoma City-County Health Department staff is making sure that food service areas meet health code standards.

Medical: EMSA, The American Red Cross, Oklahoma City-County Health Department and the Oklahoma Medical Relief Corps are providing basic health services. Services include assisting guests with basic first aid, as well as taking care of individuals with ongoing medical issues such as diabetes and heart-related problems. Trained staff and volunteers with DHS are attending to individuals with special needs, such as wheelchairs and sign language services, as well as providing mental health services to those in need.

Medical Statistics:
• Transports to area hospitals: 30
• The shelter medical office is seeing an average of 10 patients per hour; mostly due to chronic medical issues.
• EMSA has established onsite pharmacy services. Volunteer physicians with Feed the Children are on site, and have written approximately 150 prescriptions. Some guests are bringing their prescriptions with them.
• Medical Crew: 30+ includes staff from EMSA and OMRC
• Ambulances on site: six
Child Services: Baptist Disaster Relief is providing a children's activity center. Volunteers trained to assist children in traumatic situations will staff the area on Tuesday.

Safety and Security: The Oklahoma City Police Department has 15 officers stationed inside the facility to provide security to guests and volunteers. COLERT (Central Oklahoma Law Enforcement Response Team) will provide 10 additional law enforcement personnel outside of the facility. COLERT is made up of 30 law enforcement agencies from central Oklahoma police departments. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office will help coordinate and supervise the outside security of the facility. All guests are allowed to come and go from the facility however they are asked to abide by a nightly curfew, from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and will not be able to reenter during this time.

Ancillary Services: The United Way of Central Oklahoma is working to provide several hundred newspapers to guests beginning Tuesday morning. They are also coordinating efforts to provide streaming news updates related to the storm and its path. They are also working with Yellow Cab to provide transportation for guests to and from local hospitals and pharmacies. The United Way is working with area social services providers to evaluate unmet needs on a short-term and long-term basis.

Pets: An on-site pet shelter is caring for guests' pets. Thirty-five pets traveled with their owners, including cats, dogs, fish, a bird, a hamster and one certified service animal. Members of the State Department of Agriculture and City of Oklahoma City Animal Shelter are taking care of the pets. Pet owners have access to their pets throughout their stay at the shelter.

Self Evacuees: Self-evacuees should call 2-1-1 if they need assistance.

Contributions: Monetary donations are best. The shelter does not need any donations of clothing, toys or other items. Citizens are encouraged to make a donation to the relief agency of their choice.