At the start of the 2018 hurricane season, it’s important for everyone to clearly understand the role of the American Red Cross in Miami-Dade County with respect to sheltering operations prior to a storm making landfall, and in a post-storm period as well.

For 2018 the Red Cross commitment to Miami-Dade County is to support eight evacuation centers in Miami-Dade County.  We will do this with shelter dormitory teams which are largely composed of volunteers. The evacuation centers will be operated by Miami-Dade County and the Dade County Public Schools System. For the past year, the Red Cross has worked in concert with both entities to establish a trilateral partnership that will best serve the citizens of Miami-Dade County. In summary, the oversight and supervision of pre-storm evacuation centers remains with Miami-Dade County with personnel support from the Red Cross.  

In a post-storm period, the American Red Cross will work with Miami-Dade Emergency Management within 72 hours after land fall to transition all families and individuals needing longer-term sheltering in to general population congregate shelters.  These shelters will be managed and operated by the American Red Cross and will include sheltering, feeding, distribution of emergency supplies as well as providing health and emotional support services.

The Red Cross focuses on preventing and alleviating human suffering following landfall in keeping with its core mission. The Red Cross will respond swiftly and comprehensively to post storm needs while the County focuses on the safety and security of our citizens and infrastructure.