Contingency Planning

Partnership in Oregon Helps Create Large Mobile Disaster Response Operations Agreement

October 19, 2007

The Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission (MERC) and the Red Cross' Oregon Trail Chapter has developed a first-of-its-kind agreement for a mega-shelter to provide response and coordination of services and operations during major emergency and disaster relief efforts.

MERC CEO David Woolson says, "We're very pleased about our partnership with the American Red Cross, and it reinforces MERC's commitment to the regional community."

At its heart, the agreement will coordinate response and recovery operations to allow people to use large buildings, stadiums and conference centers as temporary shelters, much like during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The Red Cross has worked with organizations like the International Association of Assembly Managers in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to provide emergency shelter for those affected by the storm. And past studies have cited the importance of coordinating response organizations on the local and state level with large structure management.

The new agreement "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 service that will ensure use of the public venues in a disaster situation."

— Community Institute for Preparedness, Response and Recovery