Have plastic bags or sheets available to cover furniture in case of leaks. Move items to higher ground if flooding is a possibility. What to expect at a Red Cross Shelter I have over 20 years experience working and managing American Red Cross disaster shelters. Having run shelters across the country it seems logical to explain how they work along with reasonable expectations when going to one. Shelters are uncomfortable .
Shelters come in all sizes and levels of convenience.
They can be set up to house from 10 people to 5,000 people each. But remember that shelters are usually school gymnasiums, warehouses, armories etc. Shelters are smelly, no matter how much you try to keep the shelter clean. 100-300 people living 5feet away from each other will make the room. They are meant to be temporarily opened and closed quickly and are not meant to be maintained for weeks.