Shelter Relationship Models

Model 1. Red Cross Shelters – This is the traditional Red Cross shelter model where the Red Cross occupies a facility, plans, organizes, directs and controls every aspect of the Red Cross services provided at the shelter. Under this model, Red Cross and the facility owner sign the standard Red Cross shelter agreement entitled Agreement to Permit the Use of a Facility as a Red Cross Emergency Shelter. Only Red Cross branding (signage) is used to identify this as a Red Cross administered shelter. The Red Cross assumes responsibility for all direct, documented disaster relief-related costs associated with the operation of the shelter including facility operating costs that are over and above the normal operating costs of the facility. Liability is shared by the Red Cross and the facility owner based on their respective responsibilities regarding the facility, and will be apportioned based upon the particular circumstances surrounding an incident during a Red Cross shelter operation.

Model 2. Red Cross / Partner Shelters – Very similar to traditional Red Cross shelters, these partnerships use the standard facility agreement. The primary difference is that the majority of the volunteer staffing will come from the partner agency personnel and will not be assigned by Red Cross. Under this shelter model, Red Cross partners will sign a letter of agreement stating that the partner agency’s staff will be qualified and trained by the Red Cross and will volunteer as a group under the administrative control and as a part of the Red Cross disaster relief operation, since these issues are not covered in the standard facility agreement. While partner agency personnel will be expected to operate the shelter as Red Cross volunteers, the Red Cross will plan, organize, direct and control the Red Cross services provided at the shelter. The shelter will be, therefore, under the administrative control of the Red Cross.

Partner agency personnel will register as Red Cross volunteers and will work as part of the Red Cross relief effort. The partner agency will maintain a unique brand identity to acknowledge its work and both agencies will display their logos in partnership. In this instance, direct service delivery related expenses will be provided for by the Red Cross. As is the case with Red Cross Shelter (Model 1.), liability is shared by Red Cross, the facility owner and the partner (who may or may not be the same) based on their respective responsibilities regarding the facility, and will be apportioned based upon the particular circumstances surrounding an incident during a Red Cross shelter operation.

Required documentation to support such a relationship includes 1) Welcome Letter of Agreement to be sent to the partner agency outlining roles and responsibilities, and 2) the standard Red Cross shelter agreement entitled Agreement to Permit the Use of a Facility as a Red Cross Emergency Shelter .

Example: The Red Cross has a relationship with a church. Prior to a disaster event, the church agrees to operate as a Red Cross shelter and its volunteers as Red Cross volunteers, abiding by Red Cross rules, regulations and procedures, volunteer protocols and the Disaster Code of Conduct.

Model 3 . Red Cross Supported Shelters – Shelters where a community agency wishes to extend their services to their community as a part of their own mission while maintaining administrative control of their facilities and the services provided (meaning the community agency assumes responsibility for planning, organizing, directing and controlling every aspect of the shelter and the relief services provided). Along with administrative control comes the assumption of some of the liability and fiduciary responsibility for their operations. In this case, negotiated levels of financial, logistical, material or technical support by each party to the shelter will be provided based on previous negotiations, or negotiations at the time of the event.

Such community agency shelters will display a “Supported by the Red Cross” designation, and abide by the Red Cross Disaster Code of Conduct of service delivery. The required documentation to support such a relationship is the Shelter Support Services Agreement for Community Agencies.

Model 4. Independently Managed Shelters – The Red Cross seeks to support those shelters operated in accordance with Red Cross Fundamental Principles. Independently managed shelters are run by community agencies that have determined that they (1) want to retain administrative control of the activities related to the provision of shelter, (2) do not wish to abide by the Red Cross Disaster Code of Conduct and/or 3) may not want be supported by the Red Cross. Examples of such shelters include those opened in unsafe areas, those opened for specific groups to the exclusion of others, or those in which services depend on participation in or affiliation with the group’s specific guidelines, beliefs or norms.