The Characteristics Of An Emergency Response Shelter

Notwithstanding the extent to which we acknowledge the implications of human activity

for climate change, the latter obviously manifests itself through a larger number of extreme natural phenomena. While we associate home with the idea of permanence, comfort and ownership, the people left houseless by natural calamities associate shelter with the idea of survival or protection. It is not exactly home but is nevertheless a support for living. And this is crucial.

An emergency response shelter is a place where people may live temporarily until a more permanent home is available for them. Among the reasons for which they are no longer able to live in their former housing are included natural disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, social radical movements such as various kinds of wars or medical disasters such as pandemics for which there is no immediate cure. In all these circumstances, fleeing means survival and finding a shelter is a guarantee for the continuity of survival.

These types of disaster relief shelters are delivered by international organizations such as Red Cross, Red Crescent or UNHCR or governmental emergency agencies. Tents are the first solution, but they are not durable or fit for any kind of environment. Schools or churches may also accommodate people in such situations but it's difficult to ensure the amount of water or the sanitation level required.

There are many kinds of emergency response shelters as far as materials, shapes, dimensions, facilities, functions are concerned. But in terms of body construction, they may be reduced to two types: semi-rigid and rigid. The first are optimal for short term relief, being ready to accommodate people once deployed, while the second may be easily built in a mold in a matter of hours. They may be made of foam, inflatable structures, or sandbags.

Therefore the characteristics of emergency response shelters are: timely deployment or construction. For this they should be made on the spot, from raw materials that may be found in any part of the world, or else be easily and quickly transported. They are easily constructible, a limited manpower being sufficient. They are kept simple, not requiring special training or tools. They are mobile: their design is easily adjustable to various configurations, emergency response applications or as far as their dimensions are concerned. And they are affordable, given they use minimum materials, a large number of them being essential for an efficient emergency response to a disaster or crisis, affecting many people.

by: Jack Wogan.

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