Specifications include, but are not limited to: On occasion, OEM activates facilities to serve as emergency reception and shelter sites for individuals and families affected by natural or human-caused disasters or other incidents. OEM may also activate Friends and Relative Centers, Service Centers, and Family Assistance Centers for the purpose of reunification and providing other services. OEM follows protocols such as those outlined in the Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Temporary Housing, and Human Services Annex (attached as Appendix C) with the intention of providing a range of solutions such as a safe space for sleeping, feeding and hydration, basic hygiene, informational briefings, reunifications, distribution of emergency supplies, and basic health and mental health services for the impacted population. OEM may activate facilities with little to no notice and they may operate anywhere from one day to indefinitely depending on the nature of the incident. OEM typically operates facilities with significant support from both City and non-City partners, including, but not limited to: the American Red Cross (ARC), the Salvation Army, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), the Office of Homeless Services (OHS), Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT), and the Philadelphia County Animal Response Team (P-CART). Other partners often involved in mass care processes include the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) and Emergency Medical Services (PFD-EMS), Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), and Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). Contractors may be asked to work directly with some of these partners depending on the nature of the response.
