Course Overview:

This 90-minute, web-based, performance-level course is designed to help the learner plan for mass sheltering operations during multiple disasters and/or during a pandemic. The course will begin with a review of basic mass sheltering principles. The course will then focus on how to accomplish sheltering when there are simultaneous disasters occurring, including a pandemic.  Planning considerations will be presented including planning for social distancing and quarantine and isolation issues. The course will conclude with a look at planning considerations for socially vulnerable populations who may need sheltering.

Learning Objectives:

This performance-level course will focus on planning for mass sheltering during a pandemic.  Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to successfully complete post-test questions based on the following learning objectives: 

1. Identify how housing and shelter needs are impacted when dealing with both a major disaster and an ongoing pandemic. 
2. Identify challenges for congregate sheltering during a pandemic. 
3. Identify planning best practices for housing socially vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and those with special needs during a pandemic.    
4. Identify how common disaster housing tasks such as registration, damage inspection, and verification are handled in the context of a pandemic and how the delivery and timeline of disaster housing programs can be affected. 
5. Describe 3 best practices for transitioning clients to other interim sites or permanent housing during a pandemic. 

This project is supported by Cooperative Agreements EMW-2020-CA-00064, EMW-2021-CA-00092, EMW-2021-CA-00093, EMW-2022-CA-00037, and EMW-2023-GG019446 administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.