New Hanover County Shelter Drills

This month New Hanover County practiced shelter drills in five elementary schools in the Wilmington area. These drills allowed staff and volunteers in our community to practice and prepare the shelters for a disaster. Volunteers helped to train the workers by acting as shelter inhabitants and rehearsed the necessary functions of the shelter such as registration, food distribution, and setting up sleeping areas. These drills allowed the shelter drill staff to train and identify what areas of the shelter needed work and clarification and which aspects were running smoothly. Our team acted as community members seeking shelter and needed to go through the registration process. The staff was efficient, kind, and made sure the participants received the care they needed. Our community is better prepared for the next disaster through the preparation and training provided by the shelter drills at our local elementary schools.